FILE PHOTO: Turkish soldiers seen at the border town of Akcakale © Reuters / Murad Sezer
Late on June 9, a salvo of rockets targeted a Turkish military base located in the outskirts of the town of Zaylkan in Bashiqa district in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh.
Iraqi news sources said that four Grad 122 mm rockets targeted Zaylkan base. Two rockets hit the base, while the two others landed in its outskirts. The sources didn’t report any casualties as a result of the attack.
This was the second attack to target the Turkish base in less than ten days. On June 2, a number of suicide drones attacked the base. Some of the drones were reportedly intercepted by the Turkish military. However, material losses were reported.
A shadowy group calling itself Ahrar Sinjar, which has already claimed responsibility for two attacks on the base, was likely behind the most recent attacks. The group is reportedly made up of Kurds and backed by pro-Iranian factions.
The recent attacks on the base were likely a response to Turkey’s ongoing military operation against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The operation, codenamed Operation Claw-Lock, was condemned by all sides in Iraq including pro-Iranian factions.
The operation is yet to achieve its goals. PKK fighters have been showing fierce resistance. They have killed 21 Turkish service members, so far.
On June 9, the PKK shared footage from a recent attack in the area of Heftanin. The attack, which took place on May 19, saw Kurdish fighters targeting a group of nine Turkish troops with an anti-tank guided missile. The entire group was killed or wounded.
Despite the disappointing results, Turkey will likely keep Operation Claw-Lock going in order to mount more pressure on the PKK.
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