Turkey hits 71 targets in Iraq, Syria in retaliation for soldiers’ deaths
Al JazeeraDec 23, 2023
The Facts
Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said in a message posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday that at least 59 Kurdish fighters had been "neutralized" in airstrikes at 71 sites allegedly linked to Kurdish groups in Syria and northern Iraq following the deaths of 12 Turkish soldiers in Northern Iraq.
Six Turkish soldiers were reportedly killed on Friday when militants affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) attempted to infiltrate a Turkish military base in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Six more Turkish soldiers were killed the following day in additional clashes with the PKK.
The Spin
Narrative A
The deaths of the 12 Turkish soldiers are tragic and only serve to further strengthen Ankara's resolve. Turkey is committed to eradicating the terrorist threat within and beyond its borders.
Narrative B
Civilians are being killed and wounded in this clash between the Turkish military and the PKK. Turkey is intentionally targeting civilian vital infrastructure in Syria, and risks destabilizing the region even further. These airstrikes must stop.
