Turkish airstrikes intensify in northern Iraq, triggering fire north of Zakho

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Turkish aircraft intensified their bombing of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) sites in the north of Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, while an exchange of fire between the two parties led to the outbreak of a large fire north of Zakho, a military source in Duhok reported.

The source told Shafaq News Agency, "Turkish aircraft bombed PKK positions six times in several areas at the foot of Kara Mountain overlooking Al-Amadiya district, north of Duhok."

He explained, "Wadi Shirana, Mount Zincli overlooking Spindar village, Deresh and Raziki villages, and Mount Bismati, were subjected to heavy bombardment, with the resulting losses unknown."

In this context, a government source in the independent administration of Zakho told Shafaq News Agency, “A major fire broke out in the Christian-majority village of Sharanish in Darkar district, north of Zakho.”

The source further stated that “the fire affected farms and homes abandoned by villagers over five years ago due to the armed conflict between the PKK and the Turkish army."

Ankara's fight against the PKK has been ongoing, with operations launched since 2016 across the border with Iraq.

Since 2019, Ankara has established several bases in the Duhok Governorate in northern Iraq through informal agreements between Turkiye and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

Informal figures suggest that Turkiye has a permanent deployment of 5,000 to 10,000 soldiers in Iraqi territory, where it has created a de facto secure zone and moved the armed struggle onto Iraqi soil. It has also built roads in Iraq to connect its military bases and achieve more effective area control. The last one was in February 2024, when Ankara said the road is to "streamline the movement of military and logistical supplies to its bases in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq."

In 2022, Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army Abdel Emir Yarallah exposed the extent of Turkiye's military presence in Iraq, revealing that it operates five bases in the country.

Yarallah said, "The bases include more than 4,000 Turkish fighters." noting that Turkiye had 40 positions in Iraq in 2021, and the figure has since risen to 100, with many located just short distances from the Zakho, Al-Amadiya, and Duhok regions.

Iraq views Turkish airstrikes and bases as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. These operations commonly cause civilian casualties and damage infrastructure alongside the killing of PKK members.

The Iraqi government also worries that Turkish military presence in northern Iraq could destabilize the Region and empower Kurdish separatists within Iraq.

On the other hand, Turkiye expressed disappointment in the Iraqi government's historical "reluctance" to acknowledge and ban the PKK as a terrorist organization.

However, recent developments have signaled a shift in Iraq's stance.

Last March, Turkiye proposed the establishment of a "joint operation center" with Iraq to combat the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a move that has received a positive response from Baghdad.

The PKK is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.