Turkish artillery targets PKK positions in northern Duhok

Shafaq News/ A military source in Duhok reported, on Friday, that the Turkish army targeted positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the northern part of the governorate.

The source informed Shafaq News Agency that "Turkish artillery launched intensive shelling on PKK positions in the border area of Kani Masi, north of Duhok."

The source added that "the shelling specifically targeted Bazi Valley, located south of the district, though there is no confirmed information yet regarding the extent of the casualties caused by the attack."

Notably, PKK maintains strongholds in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, where Turkiye has had a military presence for over 25 years. The conflict initially concentrated in rural areas of southeastern Turkiye but has increasingly shifted to the mountainous regions of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region.

For years, Ankara has conducted cross-border military operations, effectively controlling or overseeing large swaths of Iraqi territories bordering Turkiye.

On August 15, Turkiye and Iraq signed a landmark agreement focused on military and security cooperation, specifically targeting the PKK. The agreement included the establishment of joint coordination and training centers in Baghdad and Bashiqa.

The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union. Baghdad has also announced its decision to ban the PKK as a political party.