On June 24, the Turkish state launched an offensive in northern Iraq against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state has been ongoing since 1978, with numerous ceasefires. The last ceasefire ended in 2015 and since then the conflict has been ongoing. The current operation, which has not yet been named, is preceded by a series of operations called “Claw”, which aimed to expel the PKK from the border areas with Turkey. The last operation, named “Claw-Lock” took place in April 2022.
The goal of the current operation is still not fully known, but most likely this is an attempt by the Turkish state to secure the planned railway and road construction project from the Persian Gulf, through Iraq to Turkey. This project would open a new trade route, which would bring profits not only to the Turkish bourgeoisie, but also to the Iraqi bourgeoisie, which would earn from the flow of goods through its territory. This is why this Turkish operation, although it violates the sovereignty of Iraq, is supported by the Iraqi government. This can be seen in the fact that the Iraqi government has not yet condemned this incursion of the Turkish army into Iraqi territory, although it has done so for all similar previous actions of the Turkish state. Also, Iraq condemned the PKK this year and then banned it, declaring that the group violates the Iraqi constitution.
For now, the Turkish army bombarded from the air, and then entered border settlements and set up checkpoints. The PKK fighters withdrew from these settlements before the Turkish army came, to better fortified areas. After establishing control over the border with Iraq, the Turkish army sent reinforcements for further attacks deeper into PKK-controlled territory.
Skirmishes in Afrin
The Afrin Liberation Forces (HRE) are an armed group formed in 2018, whose goal is to liberate the Afrin area, located in northwestern Syria, from Turkish occupation. In the last two months, these forces have carried out multiple operations against pro-Turkish armed groups and Turkish soldiers in Afrin.
From May 2 to 6, HRE fighters carried out actions in which 4 members of pro-Turkish armed groups and 2 soldiers of the Turkish army were killed, while 3 members of pro-Turkish armed groups and 2 soldiers of the Turkish army were wounded.
In response to the constant attacks by the Turkish state and its armed groups, not only on HRE but also on civilians, HRE carried out two attacks on June 22 and 28. In that, sniper attacks on Turkish mercenaries killed two soldiers.
Just one day later, on June 29, the HRE launched a rocket attack against members of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (TFSA) in Merjemin, Shera area in the south of Afrin.
A day after that, on June 30, HRE fighters destroyed a military vehicle of the Turkish army in Sherawa, Aleppo in northern Syria.
