Joint Operation Against PKK: Anadolu

Turkey and Iran launched a joint attack against the Kurdish group PKK – the far left Kurdistan Workers Party – on Turkey’s eastern border, reports Anadolu Agency, adding Turkey for the first time has confirmed a raid. Turkish security forces have often clashed with PKK members and the country regards PKK as a terrorist group. The two sides came close to negotiating a peace deal, and PKK contributed to engaging in combat against the Islamic State during the Syrian civil war. Süleyman Soylu, Turkey’s interior minister, “did not specify precisely which PKK bases the planned operation targeted but President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has in the past said it would be against militant hideouts in Iraq,” reports Hatice Ozdemir Tosun. “The Turkish military has often bombed PKK bases in Iraq’s mountainous northern regions as part of its operations against the illegal group.” Iran security forces were also involved. As YaleGlobal has reported before, Kurds are a sizable minority in Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq and support for greater autonomy runs strong. – YaleGlobal