Turkey carries out airstrikes, claims to hit 17 Kurdish militant targets

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/terrorism-security/2015/0811/Turkey-carries-out-airstrikes-claims-to-hit-17-Kurdish-militant-targets



The outlawed PKK separately attacked a Turkish military brigade in southeast Turkey. Analysts say Turkey is prioritizing air strikes against Kurdish militants over strikes against the self-styled Islamic State.

Turkey carries out airstrikes, claims to hit 17 Kurdish militant targets
By Arthur Bright, Staff writer August 11, 2015

The Turkish Air Force launched a new wave of strikes against Kurdish separatists overnight, as the conflict between Turkey and the Kurdish PKK group worsens.

The Turkish military says that it struck 17 PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) targets overnight in Hakkâri Province, Turkey's southeastern tip bordering Iran and Iraq. The Associated Press reports that PKK forces also attacked a Turkish infantry brigade in nearby Sirnak Province, killing one soldier.

Fighting between Turkey and the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and other Western nations, has surged in recent weeks as Turkey has begun military operations in support of the US-led fight against the self-declared Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. But Turkey has "largely ignored Islamic State targets" in favor of targeting the PKK, Politico writes – "so far three air strikes have been launched against ISIS, compared to hundreds against the PKK."

The Pentagon is reliant on Kurdish paramilitaries in Syria, known as YPG, to engage IS targets on the ground as US-led forces strike from the air. Fox News reports that "Senior U.S. military leaders have privately expressed frustration that the recent Turkish air strikes against the Kurds could jeopardize the entire anti-ISIS operation," and that Turkey has so far ignored US complaints.