Ankara Blast: Turkish airstrikes target PKK in Northern Iraq
Turkey’s military says top PKK figures were targeted on Wednesday night after Ankara bombing.
Turkey’s military said early Thursday that airstrikes targeted tens of PKK terrorists, including some of the organization’s top figures, in northern Iraq on Wednesday night.
The Turkish General Staff said that a group of 60-70 people were targeted in the Haftanin region of northern Iraq close to Turkish border late Wednesday.
The airstrikes followed a terrorist attack which hit military-owned vehicles in central Ankara on Wednesday evening, killing at least 28 people and wounding 61 more.
An initial report from Ankara’s governor suggested three military-owned vehicles and a private vehicle were hit during the evening rush hour.
Anadolu Agency reporters at the scene said the blast occurred in Merasim Street which connects Dikmen Street to Inonu Boulevard and is close to Turkish General Staff and parliament buildings.
Ankara Governor Mehmet Kiliclar said the authorities believed a bomb-laden vehicle was the source of the blast.
The Turkish General Staff said that a “terror attack” hit vehicles carrying its personnel at 6.31 p.m. local time [1631 GMT] while they were waiting at traffic lights on Inonu Boulevard.
The PKK – considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU – resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in late July 2015.
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