Turkey: PKK militants wound three soldiers in Hakkâri province

Event

Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants attacked and wounded three Turkish soldiers in Çukurca district (Hakkâri province), according to Turkish military sources on Monday, January 22. The PKK militants reportedly launched the cross-border attack on the Gezgin Tepe military base from within Iraq. Authorities did not provide any further details concerning the nature of the attack. Additional PKK militant attacks are possible in nearby areas in the coming weeks.

Context

Turkey has faced a Kurdish insurgency since 1984, spearheaded by the PKK. The conflict has killed over 40,000 people in the decades since and associated violence continues to pose a security risk today. Meanwhile, Ankara has been on high alert since the Iraqi Kurdistan government held an independence referendum on September 25, 2017, leading to fears within Turkey's government that political and/or military advancements by Kurdish forces or political leaders will strengthen the Kurdish insurgency, prompting Turkish authorities to increase pressure and further suppress Kurdish elements in the country.

Advice

Individuals in Hakkâri province are advised to remain vigilant and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities. Due to the Turkish government's ongoing conflicts with the PKK as well as the Islamic State (IS), some Western governments advise against travel to areas along the Syrian and Iraqi borders, as well as nonessential travel to the provinces of Şırnak, Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Kilis, Hatay, Siirt, Tunceli, and Hakkâri.