TASS, July 3: The Turkish air forces have launched a series of strikes on northern Iraq, Sky News Arabia TV reported Friday, citing Kurdish sources.
According to the sources, the province of Duhok (part of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region) was attacked. It is not specified what damage or casualties were dealt.
The channel specified that Ankara is going ahead with the land operation, as Turkish forces currently constructed 24 military bases in north Iraq.
On June 15, Turkey launched an air operation dubbed Pence-Kartal, destroying 81 facilities belonging to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party banned in Turkey, including covers and hideouts.
On June 16, the Turkish envoy to Baghdad Fatih Yildiz was summoned to the Iraqi foreign minister and was handed a note of protest. However, starting with June 17, Turkish commandos were deployed in northern Iraq. The land phase of the operation was named Pence-Kaplan. On June 18, the Turkish ambassador was summoned once again to receive another note of protest in light of the operation.
