Turkish airstrikes hit PKK/YPG in Iraq, Syria after terror attack, India too must strike on TRF and LeT leadership

This handout photo from the National Defense Ministry shows a Turkish military jet dropping a missile on PKK targets in the Metina and Gara regions of northern Iraq

Turkish airstrikes hit PKK/YPG terrorist targets in northern Iraq and Syria after a deadly terrorist attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) facilities killed five people and injured 22 others in Türkiye’s capital Ankara on Wednesday, the Defense Ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said Turkish jets successfully destroyed 32 targets and that air operations will continue with determination.

“During the air operation, domestic and national ammunition was used to the maximum extent, neutralizing many terrorists,” the ministry said.

“Neutralized” is a term used by Turkish officials to describe terrorists captured alive or dead.While no terrorist group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said preliminary findings suggest the PKK was behind it.

The PKK is known for using northern Iraq, near the Turkish border, as a hideout to plot terrorist attacks and launch attacks both on nearby Türkiye and locals in northern Syria.

The terrorist group has a foothold in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous north controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), where the central Iraqi government has little influence.

Since Turkish operations have driven its domestic presence to near extinction, the PKK has moved a large chunk of its operations to northern Iraq, including a stronghold in the Mount Qandil region, located roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of the Turkish border in Irbil.

Türkiye has, over the past 25 years, operated several dozen military bases in northern Iraq in its war against the PKK and has been conducting airstrikes as part of “Claw” operations since 2022 to demolish terrorist lairs and prevent the formation of a terrorist corridor along its borders.

Türkiye’s cross-border operations into northern Iraq have been a source of tension with its southeastern neighbor for years. Ankara has asked Iraq for more cooperation in combating the PKK and Baghdad labeled the group a banned organization in March.Türkiye also battles the YPG, the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, in oil-rich northern Syria.

The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union, launched a bloody campaign of terrorism in the 1980s, targeting Turkish security forces and civilians, primarily in the southeastern Türkiye, close to the border with Iraq.

More than 40,000 people were killed in the acts of terrorism, while the PKK leadership retains a swath of territory in Iraq’s north, where they have hideouts.

Türkiye has conducted years of cross-border military operations against terrorists in Iraq and Syria. The PKK, under the name of YPG, also controls parts of northern Syria, right across the Turkish border.

Recently terrorist have carried out an attack in Ganderbal, Kashmir also, where seven individuals were killed. The incident occurred on October 20, 2024, at a workers’ camp associated with the construction of the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway.

The attackers, armed with an AK-47 and an M4 carbine, spent approximately seven minutes at the camp before executing their assault.

The attackers initiated their assault by placing a grenade inside a parked vehicle before opening fire on the workers. Eyewitness accounts indicated that many initially mistook the gunfire for firecrackers until they quickly realized the gravity of the situation.Two terrorists entering the camp and moving through various areas while firing indiscriminately.

The attackers targeted both the dining area and other locations within the camp. A total of 37 to 40 spent cartridges were recovered from the scene, indicating a sustained gunfire exchange.

Taking a leaf out of this episode, India too must carry out a strike on all known facilities of not only the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, but also on all known facilities of Lashar e Taiba itself.

TRF has claimed responsibility for this attack. This marks a notable shift in their strategy, as they have begun targeting both locals and non-locals in recent months.

The attack has drawn widespread condemnation from various political leaders, including Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who described it as a “cowardly act.”

They emphasized the need for unity against terrorism and expressed condolences to the victims’ families. This is just not enough.