Turkey ‘probes claims Iraqi Kurdish civilians killed in airstrike’

The Anadolu news agency on Saturday reported that 260 PKK members have been killed and between 380 and 400 wounded in the bombardments launched a week ago by the Turkish army on their positions in northern Iraq.

The Turkish government and the jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan struck an agreement in 2013 which would gradually end the violence and pave the way toward a permanent peace.

Pumping was briefly resumed in the wake of the attack late on Wednesday using a bypass line, but was later halted again due to maintenance work and theft on the pipeline, Turkish energy officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The government has conducted nearly daily air strikes at PKK bases in northern Iraq while the rebels have attacked Turkey’s security forces.

PKK militants who took part in the operation also launched ambushes on the roads to prevent medical teams reaching the scene before fleeing in the direction of Mount Ararat, it added. The PKK is (or was) engaged in a stalled peace process with the government of Turkey.

“The targets in northern Iraq and inside Turkey are being identified by qualified personnel, based on confirmed visual data and as a result of a very meticilous and detailed study”, the military said.

He also condemned Turkey for attacking civilians. If Mr. Davutoglu fails to form a coalition government later this month, Turkey could face an early election in November.

The Turkish army said that it had reviewed the air strike following media claims of civilian casualties, but said its warplanes had hit a “terrorist camp” on Qandil Mountain in northern Iraq and not a civilian village. Turkish forces have also been carrying out air strikes on ISIL targets in Syria.

The attack happened early on Sunday near the town of Dogubayezit in Agri province, near the border with Iran.

Any prolonged concerted effort by Turkey against the PKK will only further complicate an already tangled web of alliances in the fight against ISIS.

But now he is under pressure, both from Turkey and from his own constituency. PKK has to keep the war outside of the civilian regions for protecting the civilians.

The regional governor did not say how the PKK had been identified as the group behind the blast.

On Tuesday, Erdogan said it had become impossible to continue the process and urged parliament to strip politicians with links to the militants of immunity from prosecution.

“I think it will be significant, especially in the north – north of Iraq and north of Syria“, he said.

The Pentagon said it was “aware” of the reports of attacks against the YPG, but didn’t offer any further statements on the matter. In practice, Y.P.G. fighters easily cross in and out of Iraqi Kurdistan.