ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Unidentified drones targeted a Turkish military base in Duhok on Friday, a local official told Rudaw days after artillery shells targeted Zakho in an attack blamed on Turkey.
At least two drones targeted a Turkish military base in Duhok’s Bamarni district, without resulting in any casualties, the official, who preferred to remain anonymous, said.
One of the drones crashed while the other was shot down by Turkish forces, the source added.
The attack comes two days after nine civilians were killed and 23 others were wounded in Zakho artillery fire that Baghdad and Erbil blamed on Turkey. Ankara has denied its involvement in the bloody incident, claiming that they have “never carried out an attack on civilians.”
Turkish forces have an increased number of military bases and outposts in the Kurdistan Region. Its presence in the Region has grown significantly in recent decades, particularly since the 1990s.
It launched a new military operation in Duhok on April 18 province with the stated aim of targeting PKK hideouts. The PKK is a Kurdish armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey.
Ankara in 2020 said it had established 37 “military points” in the Region’s border areas and inside the Duhok, Erbil, Zakho, and Soran.
Turkish personnel are also present at a military base in Nineveh’s Bashiqa district and are often targeted by rockets and drones, recording at least eight attacks since the start of the year.
