Suspected Turkish airstrike hits near village in Sulaymaniyah

SULAYMANIYAH — A suspected Turkish airstrike targeted the outskirts of Galala village in the Mawet District of Sulaymaniyah province around 2:40 p.m. on Thursday, local authorities reported. The strike caused an explosion near the village’s border but did not result in casualties or ignite fires.

Kamaran Hassan, the district governor, noted that the explosion occurred between the villages of Safra and Galala. He assured that the situation remains under control.

This latest incident follows airstrikes on Aug. 20 that led to a large wildfire in the border areas of Galala and Qamish villages within the Mawat district, prompting calls from local residents for firefighting assistance.

The airstrikes are part of ongoing Turkish military operations in the Kurdistan Region targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. Turkey has ramped up military activities in the region, affecting areas like the Amedi district in Duhok province. These operations have resulted in numerous casualties and significant environmental damage across Duhok and Sulaymaniyah’s rural and mountainous border areas.

In April 2022, Turkey initiated Operation Claw-Lock to secure its southern border, with significant military advancements reported this summer. On July 13, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Kurdish forces were “completely trapped” in Iraq and Syria, though conflicts continue with Turkish forces advancing into Iraqi Kurdistan.

A report from Community Peacemaker Teams, a U.S.-based war monitor, dated Aug. 14, reveals the enduring impact of military actions by Turkey and Iran in the region since 1991, with 425 civilians killed and another 420 injured, mostly due to Turkish operations.

While the Kurdistan Regional Government considers the PKK’s presence destabilizing, the Iraqi federal government has condemned Turkey’s incursions as violations of Iraqi sovereignty. Recent developments indicate Iraq may have reached some understanding with Turkey, following a ban on the PKK. According to sources, Turkey now has 71 military bases and outposts in the region, an increase from 64 before the latest incursion.