On Friday, security sources reported Turkish airstrikes targeting the Braweri Bala area in the Kani Masi subdistrict north of Duhok, marking an escalation in the ongoing conflict between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region.

According to the sources, the airstrikes focused on positions held by PKK militants in the Bsheli Valley, located south of the subdistrict. However, specific details regarding casualties resulting from the attack were not provided.

This follows a recent incident where a civilian was injured in a Turkish airstrike targeting a residential complex in the northern part of Duhok governorate. The strike, which hit the Hetiti complex in Al-Amadiya district, resulted in the civilian sustaining injuries. Despite efforts by relatives to locate the injured individual, their fate remains unclear.

Ankara's military operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region have been ongoing for years, with the latest operation, dubbed Operation Claw-Lock, targeting PKK hideouts in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border.

In March, Turkey proposed the establishment of a "joint operation center" with Iraq to combat the PKK, a proposal that received a positive response from Baghdad. High-level discussions between Turkish and Iraqi officials, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) head Ibrahim Kalin, have led to increased cooperation in addressing the PKK's activities along the Iraq-Turkey border.

Recent developments have indicated a shift in Iraq's stance, with Baghdad designating the PKK as a "banned organization" in alignment with Turkey's concerns. This designation has paved the way for enhanced cooperation between the two countries in combating terrorism.

The PKK conflict, spanning four decades, has posed a persistent challenge, leading to devastating consequences for communities in both Turkey and the Kurdistan Region. The Turkish military's operations in the Kurdistan Region have intensified in recent years, with Ankara establishing military bases in strategic locations to target PKK militants.

In a televised interview, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani emphasized the region's rejection of PKK activities that threaten neighboring countries, stressing the need to prevent the Kurdistan Region from being used as a base for attacks against Turkey and Iran.

While Ankara has called for the PKK to be labeled a terrorist organization by the Iraqi government, Baghdad has urged Turkey to respect Iraq's sovereignty and cease its military operations on Kurdistan Region territory. The ongoing conflict underscores the complex dynamics between Turkey, Iraq, and the PKK in the region.