At least 184 Kurdish militants have been killed in Turkish attacks in northern Syria and Iraq in recent days. This was announced by the Turkish Ministry of Defense on Monday. The majority of the attacks were carried out by drones and fighter jets, targeting bases belonging to the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) and the PKK-affiliated Kurdish YPG militia.
Turkey holds the PKK responsible for the November 13 bomb attack in central Istanbul that killed six people. After that attack, a woman was arrested who allegedly confessed to having been trained by the PKK in Syria. The PKK itself has denied any involvement in the attack, pointing out that they do not attack civilians.
The Turkish airstrikes in recent days were described by the Turkish ministry as a “counter-terrorism offensive”. In recent days, Syrian militias confirmed that two villages in the border region had been hit by Turkish bombardments, leaving dozens dead. These militias, united in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have said they will avenge Turkey’s attacks.
According to the Turkish defense ministry, the attacks will continue “until the last terrorist is destroyed”. Earlier on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted at a possible ground war in northern Syria.
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