Turkish forces continue airstrikes and ground operations in northern Iraq against what they say are Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions.
There have been 43 mortars fired into the Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna regions, alongside five airstrikes and one reported attack with “banned munitions”, Mezopotamya Agency reported citing People’s Defence Forces (HPG), the PKK’s military wing.
HPG is currently observing a ceasefire with Turkish troops, in compliance with Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council co-chair Cemil Bayık’s call on 9 February due to the devastating twin earthquakes that hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria three days before.
“We respect people and human life. That’s why we don’t want to inflict pain upon pain,” Bayık saidin his declaration. “Again, we decided not to take action unless the Turkish state comes against us and attacks us.”
Turkish troops shelled smaller towns near Aleppo one day after the earthquakes, and continued with drone strikes in the week that followed.
Combined with closed border crossings, the airstrikes have compounded the suffering of Syrians in the area affected by the 7.8 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes. A 70 year old man died in Thursday’s shelling in Tel Rifat, Kurdish agency Hawar News reported.
