Turkey launches military operation against Kurdish forces in northern Iraq

The Turkish military has begun an air and ground operation against Kurdish PKK militants in northern Iraq, calling it an act of self-defense to weed out “terrorists” in the area.

Named Operation Tiger-Claw, the incursion involves Turkish commandos supported by warplanes, helicopters and armed drones. The Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that its planes had struck Kurdish targets in northern Iraq’s Haftanin region, and that troops were already on the ground.

In a statement released on Twitter, Turkey’s military described the attack as “legitimate self-defense” against PKK forces and “other terrorist elements” accused of carrying out attacks on Turkish personnel in the region.

The Turkish military shared a video of its command center, which includes footage of what appears to be aerial drones operating in the targeted area. They also claimed that the operation has so far been a success, but have not yet disclosed whether there have been any casualties on either side.

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