The PKK terrorist group in northern Iraq has prevented the implementation of vital service projects in villages under their control, according to the governor of northern Dohuk province on Thursday.
In a news conference, Ali Tatar said project contracts were signed a few days ago to construct roads connecting 12 villages in Dohuk, but they were unable to launch the projects as the PKK has been preventing the implementation.
"The villages in Dohuk were destroyed in the course of the Anfal military operations (carried out by the former Iraqi regime) and the PKK continues such policy and prevents the reconstruction," Tatar added.
In June, six other Peshmerga personnel were killed in separate attacks by the same terrorist group in Dohuk.
Tensions between the PKK and the KRG of northern Iraq have been rising since last December, when the PKK moved in on the northeastern Syrian city of Hassakeh against the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). The KDP is the largest party in the autonomous region with offices and deep-rooted relations in neighboring countries.
The PKK terrorist group has recently increased multifaceted terrorist attacks by targeting legitimate representatives of the Kurdish people in northern Iraq. The targets include Peshmerga forces and police officers, while the terrorist group also kidnaps civilians, targets diplomatic missions and incites peaceful protests to become violent in the KRG.
The PKK terrorist group has also accused the Irbil administration of collaborating with Turkey in its successful anti-terror operations in northern Iraq and is therefore attacking Peshmerga forces in the KRG.
Turkish security forces have ramped up their efforts against the PKK terrorists at home and across the country's borders and have been carrying out successful operations to eliminate senior terrorists.
Determined to eliminate terrorism at its source, Turkey is throttling the terrorist group in northern Iraq. Northern Iraq is known to have many PKK terrorist hideouts and bases from where they carry out attacks on Turkey.
The Turkish military regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq. Turkey has long been stressing that it will not tolerate terrorist threats posed against its national security and has called on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group. Ankara previously noted that if the expected steps were not taken, it would not shy away from targeting terrorist threats.
As a result, PKK terrorist targets are being struck in the Metina, Avashin-Basyan, Zap and Qandil regions. In addition to F-16 fighter jets, border artillery units, fire support elements in the forward base areas and attack helicopters are participating in the operation.
The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, has waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than four decades and has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.
The PKK uses the Mt. Qandil area in northern Iraq as its stronghold and is active in many cities and towns. The PKK also managed to establish a foothold in Sinjar in mid-2014 under the pretext of protecting the local Yazidi community from Daesh. Since then, the PKK has reportedly established a new base in Sinjar for its logistical and command-and-control activities. Around 450,000 Yazidis escaped Sinjar after Daesh took control of the region in mid-2014.
Most recently, Turkish security forces eliminated six PKK terrorists in an airstrike in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said Friday.
The terrorists were targeted in the Gara region, the ministry said on Twitter, also posting footage of the operation.