Turkey warplanes bomb PKK positions in Iraqi Kurdistan: sources

Turkish fighter jets have bombed positions belonging to Kurdish militants in Iraq, security sources said on Saturday.

The positions in the Iraqi Kurdistan region's Duhok province belonged to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara considers a terrorist organisation, according to the sources.

Turkish forces continue to conduct military operations in Iraq's Nineveh province and Kurdistan region, neighbouring parts of the country, The New Arab's Arabic-language service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.

Recent operations have included airstrikes and assassinations of prominent PKK leaders.

Local media in Kurdistan cited security sources as saying Turkish warplanes struck three times on Saturday.

There was no comment given on any casualties or the level of damage caused.

Ismail Rekani, a captain in Iraqi Kurdistan's Peshmerga armed forces, said the bombing went on for over two hours.

"Columns of smoke were seen rising from great distances," he added.

Rekani told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed he didn't know whether there were any PKK casualties as the organisation doesn't announce such information.

There were no casualties among civilians in the areas impacted but the bombing did cause panic, he said.

Since mid-2021, Turkey has targeted PKK bases and movements in a number of areas of Iraqi Kurdistan, mostly near the border.