Turkey launches air raids against Kurdish militants
The Istanbul bombing last week sparks a military offensive against ‘terrorists’
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — Turkey launched on Sunday Operation Claw-Sword air raids against outlawed Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria almost a week after a deadly blast in central Istanbul, the defense minister said.
“We are starting Operation Claw-Sword from now on,” Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said before the planes left their bases to hit the targets. A defense ministry statement said he directed the offensive from the air force operations center with top commanders.
The defense ministry earlier said the raids targeted bases of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units or YPG, which Ankara considers an extension of the PKK.
The attacks come days after Ankara blamed the PKK for a deadly bombing in central Istanbul last week which killed six people and wounded 81.
The PKK, which has waged an insurgency in Turkey for decades, and the YPG have both denied any involvement in the attack.
“Terrorists’ shelters, bunkers and caves were cracked down,” Akar said.
“The claws of our Turkish armed forces were once again on the top of the terrorists.”