News / Iraq

Unknown aircraft bombs headquarters of Yazidi militiamen in northern Iraq

Wednesday, 20 November 2019 1:54 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 20 November 2019 2:00 PM ]

This file picture shows fighters from the Şengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) and Şengal Women’s Units (YJŞ) during a military training in an unidentified area in northern Iraq. (Photo via Twitter)

An unidentified aircraft has struck the headquarters of an Izadi militia group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group in Iraq’s northern province of Nineveh, leaving nearly two dozen people killed and wounded in the process.

The media bureau of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) announced in a statement on Wednesday that the aircraft conducted an airstrike against the headquarters of the Şengal (Sinjar) Resistance Units in Khanna Sour district near the Kurdish-populated town of Sinjar.

The statement added that the aerial assault completely destroyed the headquarters, leaving 20 YBS members dead and injured.

The YBS, formerly called King Peacock, is an Izadi militia group formed in Iraq in 2007 to protect the Izadi community in Iraq in the wake of attacks by Takfiri terrorists.

It is the second largest Izadi militia group, after the Êzîdxan Protection Force (HPÊ). However, it is much more active than the HPÊ in fighting against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.

10 PKK terrorists killed in northern Iraq

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday night that 10 PKK terrorists were killed in an air-supported anti-terror operation in Iraq’s northern semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

Irak’ın kuzeyinde başarıyla devam eden Pençe-3 Harekâtı kapsamında Haftanin bölgesinde icra edilen hava destekli operasyonda eylem hazırlığında olduğu tespit edilen 10 PKK’lı terörist beraberlerindeki ağır silah mühimmatı ve akaryakıt ile birlikte etkisiz hale getirildi. pic.twitter.com/qcpqmVl1nn
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) November 20, 2019

The ministry said the terrorists were killed as part of Operation Claw-3 in the Haftanin region, and destroyed heavy munitions and fuel depots used by the terrorists.

On August 23, Turkish military forces launched Operation Claw-3 in Turkey's southeastern province of Sirnak and Iraq's northern district of Sinat-Haftanin against PKK positions.

PKK militants regularly clash with Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of Turkey attached to northern Iraq.

PressTV-Turkish forces neutralize two 'wanted' PKK terrorists

Turkish forces have neutralized two ‘wanted’ PKK terrorists in northern Iraq and the country’s eastern province of Tunceli.

Turkey, along with the European Union and the United States, has declared the PKK a terrorist group and banned it. The militant group has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984.

A shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.

Over the past few months, Turkish ground and air forces have been carrying out operations against PKK positions in the country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

More than 40,000 people have been killed during the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the autonomy-seeking militant group.

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Iraq Middle East Kurdish forces Sirnak PKK Kurdistan PKK militants Daesh Daesh militants Daesh Takfiri group Izadi women Kurdistan Workers' Party airstrike unmanned aerial vehicle