Turkish warplanes strike PKK vehicles in Duhok province: local official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Turkish warplanes targeted two vehicles on Thursday believed to belong to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Duhok province, a local official said.

The PKK affiliated Roj News has stated at least one person was killed in the airstrike and another injured. Roj News did not confirm if the vehicles belonged to the PKK. 

The strike occurred near the village of Dulia, not far from the town of Mangesh, about 35 kilometers north of the city of Duhok. 

Mushtaq Ismat, the mayor of Mangesh, told Rudaw that at about 10 pm on Thursday, the warplanes flew over Dulia village, circling for some time until targeting the vehicles.

Ismat stated the vehicles were being used by the PKK. Both vehicles were completely destroyed. 

Mahdi Taha, the chief of Dulia village, told Rudaw that the suspected PKK fighters were chased by Turkish air forces, and headed to an unpaved road. 

“They [Turkey] first hit the vicinity of the mosque with a bomb [missing the target]. They [the suspected PKK fighters] then ran and came to this road.”

He said that both vehicles — a Jeep and a Toyota - were hit. The remains of four people who are totally burnt are still in one of the vehicles, while the other vehicle is empty.

He said the PKK does have a presence in the area, calling on them to not make their operations in the area overtly obvious.

The Turkish armed forces began Operation Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt on April 23, targeting PKK positions on the border of Duhok province.

The PKK is an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. It is considered a terror organization by Ankara. Turkey frequently bombards alleged PKK positions on both sides of the border.

 

Reporting by Hunar Rasheed