Turkey strikes northern Iraq and Syria after 12 soldiers killed

The Turkish Defence Ministry says 29 targets, including oil facilities and warehouses, were destroyed

A Turkish F-16 fighter jet during a flyover at Istanbul Ataturk airport in Istanbul, Turkey, 2021. Turkey launched air strikes at terrorist targets in northern Iraq and Syria on Sunday. EPA

Turkey launched air strikes at “terrorist targets in northern Iraq and Syria” on Sunday after 12 Turkish soldiers were killed in two separate attacks.

Unverified video circulating on social media showed fires burning at oil facilities in northern Iraq after the air strikes.

The Turkish Defence Ministry said “29 targets, including oil facilities and warehouses were destroyed”.

The Turkish air force hit the targets after six Turkish soldiers were killed and one was wounded in an attack in northern Iraq, the ministry said earlier in the day.

“Soldiers clashed with terrorists who tried to infiltrate an outpost. Thirteen terrorists have been neutralised,” the ministry said.

Six Turkish soldiers died in a separate incident late Friday.

The Turkish army has been fighting the autonomy-seeking Kurdish PKK in Iraq and affiliated YPG militants in Syria for several years.

Turkey, the US and the EU have designated the PKK a terrorist organisation.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry said earlier this week that the Turkish army conducted air strikes on PKK targets in northern Iraq.