Turkey's Forces Enter Iraq in Pursuit of PKK

Following the deaths of dozens of Turkish military personnel, Turkish forces entered Iraq on Tuesday, September 17, in pursuit of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants, while the Turkish Air Force targeted the group's positions in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, according to AFP, several offices of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the main party supporting the rights of Kurds in Turkey, were attacked by Turkish protesters in response to the deaths of Turkish forces. The entry of Turkish troops into Iraq came after 13 police officers were killed in an attack by PKK militants on Tuesday. Earlier, on Sunday, 16 Turkish soldiers lost their lives due to the explosion of two roadside bombs in Hakkari province in southeastern Turkey. Following these deadly events, the Turkish Air Force bombarded PKK positions in northern Iraq early on Tuesday, while Turkish special forces also entered Iraq in a 'rare incident.' A Turkish official described this military action as a 'short-term measure.' In this context, Anadolu Agency reported that 150 Turkish troops entered Iraq with the aim of 'destroying' PKK militants. According to this agency, these militants had crossed the border into Iraq following the deadly attack in Hakkari province. Meanwhile, 'nationalist protesters' angered by the deaths of Turkish soldiers attacked HDP offices in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, and several other cities, tearing down the party's signs. AFP reports that they accuse this party of being the 'political branch' of the PKK. Since the two-year ceasefire between the Turkish government and the PKK was violated last July, clashes between Turkish military and police forces and PKK members, who are based in the mountains of northern Iraq, have become a daily occurrence. These clashes have also fueled political unrest in Turkey, where the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has lost its parliamentary majority since June, resulting in the country being governed by a temporary government. Talks to form a coalition in parliament have also failed; Turkey's next elections are scheduled for November 1. The HDP, a leftist party supporting Kurdish rights, received more votes than expected in the June elections.