Turkish Air Force Strikes PKK in Country's Southeast, North Iraq

The Turkish Air Force has conducted a series of air operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) positions in the country's southeastern Hakkari province and in Northern Iraq, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement Saturday.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — Tensions between Ankara and the Kurds escalated in July 2015 as fighting between the PKK, the Kurdish pro-independence organization considered to be terrorist by Ankara, and the Turkish army resumed.

Ankara has imposed several round-the-clock curfews in Kurdish-populated towns, preventing civilians from fleeing the regions where the military operations are taking place.

"During the air operations, strikes against the separatist terrorist organization's [PKK] positions designated in advance in Hakkari province and in [Northern Iraq] areas of Basyan, Gara, Hakurk, Zap, Metina, were carried out. Terrorist hideouts and their air defense emplacements were destroyed," the statement reads.

On Saturday, the PKK armed wing the People's Defense Force (HPG) claimed responsibility for downing a Turkish military helicopter in Hakkari a day before. Both pilots were killed. The Turkish General Staff said the crash had taken place due to a technical malfunction.