Roadside bomb kills two Peshmerga fighters in Duhok: sources

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two Peshmerga were killed and others injured in Duhok province on Wednesday when their convoy hit a roadside bomb, a security source told Rudaw and the Kurdistan Region’s counterterrorism units confirmed. 

The convoy was in the Dinarte subdistrict on the Kani Toze and Naqib village road when the explosion took place, according to the security source who spoke to Rudaw on the condition of anonymity. 

The Kurdistan Region’s counterterrorism units confirmed the incident and casualties in a Facebook post, accusing the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of leaving the explosive device. 

Kamal Eminiki, top Peshmerga official, confirmed to Rudaw that Peshmerga sustained an attack, but he does “not know about the losses.”

Shaaban Barwari, mayor of Dinarte, claimed that he was sure it was an attack by the PKK, but he did not have information on casualties. 

This is not the first time Peshmerga fighters get killed in the areas where the PKK and Turkey clash. Several fighters from the forces have been killed since last summer when the tensions between the PKK and Peshmerga forces affiliated to the Kurdistan Democratic Forces (KDP) escalated. 

The PKK is an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. It is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara which carries out regular attacks against the group at home and inside the Kurdistan Region. 

The PKK has not claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack.

With reporting by Nasir Ali