Iraqi officials have issued a statement condemning Tuesday’s Turkish airstrikes on northern Iraq, calling them a violation of sovereignty, and suggesting Turkey needs to “adhere to good neighborliness” in the future.
Turkey reported six targets of the Kurdish PKK were hit, labeling it anti-terror operation. Some of the strikes hit Kurdish refugee camps in the area, however, with at least eight reported killed. The slain included not just PKK fighters, but also civilians.
Turkish President Erdogan mocked the victims, labeling them terrorists and saying he ensured “they could not even find a hole to escape to.” This is in keeping with Turkish policy toward the PKK, and civilian victims are also common when Turkey is going after a Kurdish target.
In addition to Iraqi Kurdistan, Turkey also launched airstrikes in northeastern Syria against Hasakeh. This territory is held by the Kurdish YPG, which Turkey also views as terrorists. The Kurdish officials in the area implied this was connected to the recent ISIS fighting in the city, accusing Turkey of backing the Islamists and saying their strike showed they were unhappy with the ISIS defeat.
Iraq has long complained of such strikes from Turkey, though the Turkish government’s policy involves targeting Kurds in Iraq and Syria, and public protests over such strikes don’t seem to be preventing them.