At Least 27 Killed in Turkey’s New Offensive Along Iraqi Border

26 PKK Members and One Turkish Soldier Reported Slain Since Yesterday

At least 26 members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and one Turkish soldier have been killed so far in what Turkish officials announced would be a “major” offensive against the Şırnak Province.

Turkish warplanes began pounding locations in the Şırnak and Hakkari Provinces yesterday, accompanying it with an announcement that 2,000 ground troops would be deployed into the region to target PKK sites.

The PKK had launched attacks on military sites in Şırnak several times in recent weeks, ambushing convoys and attacking border posts along the Iraq and Syria borders. The group has been at war with Turkey for some 28 years.

The PKK hasn’t issued death tolls of their own yet, but generally speaking they have claimed more Turkish soldier deaths in incidents than the Turkish military has been willing to concede.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.