Turkish airstrikes target multiple districts across Kurdistan Region, says report

ERBIL — Late Monday, Turkish warplanes and drones launched a series of airstrikes across the Kurdistan Region, conducting 24 separate attacks in multiple districts, according to the American human rights organization, Community Peacemaker Teams – Iraqi Kurdistan.

The airstrikes targeted several areas, including the surroundings of Garey Bahar and Balava villages in the Amedi district of Duhok governorate, as well as Mount Hawt Tabaq and the nearby villages of Kafna Mje, Spindare, and Giregash. Additional strikes were reported on Mount Katkin and Khwakurk Mountain in Sidakan, within the Soran independent administration of Erbil governorate, along with Mount Kokha and Tala Mountain in the Choman district of the same administration. Further attacks were also reported in the vicinity of Qalatukan village in the Pshdar district, part of the Raparin independent administration in Sulaymaniyah governorate, and near Kwerakani village and parts of Mount Asos in the Mawat district of Sulaymaniyah governorate.

“No civilian residents have been affected by the airstrikes,” stated Kamaran Osman, an authorized member of CPT.

Local authorities have not yet released a statement regarding the extent of the damage caused by the strikes. This wave of airstrikes marks one of the most intense operations, targeting three governorates in the Kurdistan Region simultaneously and aimed at positions held by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. More details are expected as the situation unfolds.

Late Monday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense confirmed that its warplanes had hit PKK targets in the Metina, Zap, Gara, Khwakurk, Qandil, and Asos regions in Iraqi Kurdistan. “As a result of the operation, 20 targets, including caves, shelters, hideouts, depots, and facilities used by the Separatist Terrorist Organization, were destroyed,” the ministry’s statement said.

Turkey launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022, which has led to significant military advances throughout this summer. On July 13, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that Kurdish forces were “completely trapped” in Iraq and Syria, although clashes continue as Turkish forces push further into Iraqi Kurdistan.

In addition to other damages, the strikes frequently ignite massive fires in the region’s forests, which can take days to contain after burning through thousands of acres.

A report by CPT, published on August 14, revealed that since 1991, 425 civilians in the Kurdistan Region have been killed and 420 others injured due to military actions by Turkey and Iran. The report notes that over 83% of these incidents are attributed to Turkish military operations, which have accounted for the majority of the civilian casualties. Between 2018 and 2024, these intensified military campaigns have had a significant impact on civilian life, pushing Turkish forces 15 kilometers into the region and forcing the evacuation of multiple villages by the summer of 2024.