It was the worst loss suffered by Turkey’s security services since last February, when 36 Turkish troops were killed in a suspected airstrike in Syria’s Idlib province. They included a major incursion into northern Syria in 2019 that targeted Kurdish-Syrian fighters who were allied with the United States. The latest Turkish operation, which began Wednesday, has focused on a region north of the Iraqi city of Dahuk. The Defense Ministry said three Turkish soldiers have died and dozens of Kurdish fighters were killed or captured during the campaign. Human rights groups have accused the Turkish government of using its fight against the PKK to silence dissenters, including members of a pro-Kurdish opposition party.

Source: Washington Post February 14, 2021 18:11 UTC