ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced on Thursday that two of its members were killed by the Turkish army in the Kurdistan Region's mountainous areas last week despite the ongoing peace talks with Ankara. A US-based war monitor has reported a surge in Turkish attacks against the Kurdish group in May.
"Guerrilla areas in the Medya Defense Areas [mountainous areas on Iraq-Iran-Turkey borders where PKK is believed to be headquartered] were heavily bombed with explosive-laden drones, howitzers and heavy weapons. At the same time, our tunnels were also bombed with explosives. The Turkish army's attacks are mostly concentrated against guerrilla tunnels in the Metina and Martyr Delil Western Zap regions," said the People's Defense Forces (HPG), which is the PKK’s wing for mountain units, in a statement.
Metina and Zap, located in Duhok province, are among the hottest conflict zones in the ongoing PKK-Turkey clashes.
The attacks resulted in the deaths of two PKK fighters on May 27 and 30, the statement added, noting that they responded to the attacks "within the framework of legitimate defense against the ongoing attacks."
The PKK announced its dissolution and an end to its four-decade armed struggle on May 12, responding to a call from jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan to end the armed fight and pursue a political and democratic path. It has also announced a unilateral ceasefire since March 1.
Despite progress on peace talks between the PKK and Ankara, which are believed to have unofficially started last year, both sides blame one another for slow progress.
The Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), a US-based human rights organization closely monitoring Ankara’s operations in the Kurdistan Region, said in a report late Wednesday that Turkey's attacks in the Kurdistan Region increased by 143 percent in May, compared to the previous month. It added that all attacks were carried out in Duhok province, mainly Amedi district.
In May, "at least 510 bombardments and attacks have been recorded in Iraqi Kurdistan, all within the Duhok province, with no strikes or attacks by the Turkish Armed Forces recorded in other governorates. These include 458 artillery shellings, 36 airstrikes, and 16 helicopter attacks. Additionally, compared to March, there has been a 332% increase in bombardments and strikes in May," CPT said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video message on Thursday - to mark the Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha - that they have entered a new phase.
“We have entered a new phase with the organization’s decision to dissolve itself. We will be rid of this half-century-old plague with the support of our nation and the political institution,” he stated, according to Daily Sabah.
Zeki Akturk, spokesperson for the Turkish defense ministry, speaking during a press briefing in Ankara, said that Minister Yasar Guler had a meeting with NATO allies earlier in the day.
Akturk cited Guler as telling NATO counterparts that the PKK's dissolution decision is an important step and "we will not allow the process to be sabotaged or prolonged."
Omer Celik, spokesperson for Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said on Wednesday that the PKK should lay down arms within months.
