The Turkish Defense Ministry says it has launched airstrikes over northern regions of Syria and Iraq, targeting Kurdish groups Ankara holds responsible for the last week’s bomb attack in Istanbul.
The PKK has fought an armed insurgency in Turkey since 1984. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since then.
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar oversaw the airstrikes from an operations center and congratulated pilots and ground staff. “Our aim is to ensure the security of our 85 million citizens and our borders and to retaliate for any treacherous attack on our country,” he said, according to a ministry statement.
Local media reported that the northern Iraqi city of Sinjar was also targeted. Syrian opposition media reported that the Turkish airstrikes targeted Kurdish-led SDF positions.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported that the strikes had also hit Syrian army positions and that at least 12 had been killed, including SDF and Syrian soldiers.
In neighboring Iraq, the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil said it is monitoring “credible open-source reports” of potential Turkish military action in northern Syria and northern Iraq in the coming days.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Türkiye begins anti-terror raids in Iraq after fatal Istanbul bombingBREAKING: Türkiye carries out anti-terror air strikes in northern Iraq, a week after PKK/YPG terrorists bombed a busy street in Istanbul, killing six pedestrians and wounding 81 others
Read more »
Terrorists from Syria's Manbij executed Istanbul bomb attackTerrorists behind two recent attacks in Türkiye, including the weekend terror bombing on Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue, come from the northwestern Syria's Manbij region – Turkish interior minister
Read more »
Istanbul Strait maritime traffic returns to normal after suspensionThe straight has reopened to maritime traffic after the Turkish-flagged container ship, Kappa was safely anchored in the Ahirkapi Anchorage.
Read more »
Bulgaria detains several suspected accomplices in Istanbul terror attackBulgaria detains five people related to terror attack in Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue, local media reports, adding that the suspects were mostly involved in logistical activities
Read more »
Bulgaria charges five people in connection with Istanbul blastBulgarian prosecutors have charged five people for supporting terrorist acts in connection with an explosion in central Istanbul that killed six people on Nov. 13, the country's chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev said on Saturday.
Read more »
Iraq war veteran Joel GomezA wounded veteran’s caretaker is stuck in Mexico while his health deteriorates.
Read more »