Turkish warplanes launched airstrikes targeting Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) positions in the eastern Duhok governorate on Friday, according to security sources. The morning raid struck PKK sites in the Shikhan district, east of Duhok, and the vicinity of Batas village in the Kasrok subdistrict. The extent of damage or casualties from the strikes has not been disclosed.

A military source confirmed that PKK fighters, who move in small groups across cities and governorates in the Kurdistan Region, remain prime targets for Turkish air raids.

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, Turkish aircraft also targeted PKK positions in the Gara Mountain area overlooking the Al-Amadiya district. The strikes focused on the village of Spindar at the mountain's base and the surrounding mountainous areas.

Turkiye has been actively engaging in dialogue with Iraq regarding the PKK presence and the frequent attacks. In an interview with Anadolu News Agency, Turkish Ambassador to Baghdad, Anil Bora Inan, emphasized Turkiye's understanding of Iraq's situation and its challenges with terrorism. He described the Iraqi people as "friends, neighbors, and close ones who have endured hardships unworthy of human dignity."

Significant progress has been made between Ankara and Baghdad in their fight against the PKK. Ambassador Inan highlighted the activation of a high-level security mechanism between the two countries following Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's visit to Iraq in August 2023. The PKK was designated a "common threat" to both countries in a meeting in Ankara in December 2023 and was declared a "banned organization" in a meeting in March 2024. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani also declared the PKK a "banned" entity in all state institutions.

"Ongoing military operations by the Turkish Armed Forces in northern Iraq are conducted with full respect for Iraq's territorial integrity and aim to eliminate the PKK, which poses a national security threat to both Turkiye and Iraq," explained Ambassador Inan.

Inan shared that he had conveyed Turkiye's justifications for its "war on terrorism" and the "suffering" it has endured from the PKK over the past 40 years to Shiite religious circles in Najaf. He acknowledged Najaf's significant role in Iraqi politics and emphasized that Najaf and Karbala are crucial centers for the Islamic world.

"We are working to diversify communication and dialogue channels on every issue with Iraq in the new period," Inan added. "We aim to move forward by meeting with Iraqi authorities and agreeing within an institutional framework."