Drone strike blamed on Turkey kills two PKK members in Al-Sulaimaniyah

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Apr 2023 12:38

Official sources say the drone targeted a vehicle carrying PKK militants next to the Iranian border and left two more wounded.

Anka drones produced by the Ankara-based Turkish Aerospace Industries (Turkish Aerospace website)

A drone strike allegedly carried out by Turkey killed at least two people and left others wounded in northern Iraq's Kurdistan region, AFP reported on Sunday citing officials.

The drone targeted late Saturday a vehicle transporting Turkish Kurdish fighters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) near the border with Iran.

Governor of Al-Sulaimaniyah region Haval Abu Baker discussed the issue with the Iraqi Kurdistan region's Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and expressed his concerns about the repeated attacks.

"According to preliminary elements of the investigation, two people were killed and two others injured by these attacks," Abu Baker said in a statement without adding details.

The Governor expressed "hope that these attacks will stop, to preserve the security of the region," according to his statement.

On April 7, an explosion near the perimeter of Al-Sulaimaniyah International Airport in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region was also caused by a drone missile that reportedly targeted the commander-in-chief of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi.

Ankara denied any involvement in the attack.

On Monday, Turkey closed its airspace to flights from the city of Al-Sulaimaniyah, blaming what it called the increased activity of the PKK. The closure will last until at least July 3 before being reviewed, the Turkish foreign ministry said.

The SDF confirmed last month that one of its top commanders was among nine militants killed when two helicopters crashed in Iraq in mid-March.

They had been heading to Al-Sulaimaniyah for talks on security and military issues.