{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Turkey carried out a series of airstrikes in neighboring Iraq and Syria on Saturday, according to its defense ministry. The attacks came as the United States and other countries launched separate attacks in Yemen on Friday and Saturday.
According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, aircraft have attacked Kurdish militia targets in Metina, Hakurk, Gara and Qandil in northern Iraq. The attacks were in response to an attack on a Turkish military base in Iraq that left nine Turkish soldiers dead.
The Defense Ministry said fighter jets destroyed caves, bunkers, shelters and oil facilities “to prevent terrorist attacks against our people and security forces… and to ensure our border security.” The statement said “many” militants had been “neutralized.” No attacks in Syria were mentioned.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The targets were linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a banned Kurdish separatist group that maintains bases in northern Iraq, the ministry said. The PKK is viewed as a terrorist organization by the United States and other Turkish allies in Europe.
BLINKEN MEETS TURKEY'S ERDOGAN AS TENSIONS ESCALE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
The Turkish Air Force's aerobatic demonstration team “Turkish Stars” and “Celik Kanatlar” perform a demonstration flight to commemorate the fallen Turkish soldiers of the Battle of Sarikamis in Kars, Turkey, Jan. 7, on the occasion of the 109th anniversary of the Sarikamis operation World War through. 2024. (Hilmi Tunahan Karakaya/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Local news organizations reported that the attacks occurred in a different area than where the base was attacked on Friday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The Iraqi news website Rudaw, based in Erbil, reported that the base attacked on Friday was on Mount Zap in Amedi district, about 10 miles from the Turkish border.
KARS, TURKEY – JANUARY 7: The Turkish Air Force aerobatic demonstration team “Turkish Stars” and “Celik Kanatlar” performs a demonstration flight in memory of the fallen Turkish soldiers of the Battle of Sarikamis in World War I during the 109th anniversary of the Sarikamis operation through Kars, Turkey on January 7, 2024. (Omer Tarsuslu/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said a senior PKK fighter had been “neutralized” in Iraq, about 100 miles inside the Turkish-Iraqi border.
The Turkish Defense Ministry said five soldiers were killed in Friday night's attack on the military base in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Four other soldiers later died from serious injuries. The ministry said 15 militants were also killed in the attack.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
China says US strikes in Yemen 'unlikely' to achieve desired goals: 'contradictory and irresponsible'
MUGLA, TURKEY – JANUARY 12: A military helicopter participates in the press stage of the Sea Wolf (Denizkurdu) Turkish military exercise in Mugla, Turkey, on January 12, 2024. (Orhan Cicek/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed his condolences for the death of the Turkish soldiers on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“We will fight to the end against the PKK terrorist organization inside and outside our borders,” he wrote. Turkey frequently carries out attacks against targets it believes are linked to the PKK.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Turkish officials previously said PKK-affiliated militants tried to break into a Turkish base in northern Iraq three weeks ago. Six Turkish soldiers were killed in the attack. The following day, six more Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Turkish military responded to the attacks with airstrikes and land strikes that killed dozens of Kurdish militants, Defense Minister Yasar Güler said at the time.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
This image shows clouds of smoke rising in a field following reported Turkish drone strikes near the town of al-Qahtaniyah in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province, near the border with Turkey, on November 23, 2022. (GIHAD DARWISH/AFP via Getty Images)
Tensions across the Middle East have increased since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.