Turkish jets have attacked suspected Kurdish rebel camps across the border in northern Iraq, in an operation that reportedly "neutralized" nine militants despite Baghdad’s warning against an offensive on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency said the attack occurred early Thursday after drones detected a group of militants allegedly preparing to launch an attack against Turkey.
Turkey regularly targets the PKK in northern Iraq, where they maintain bases.
Anadolu said some 50 PKK rebels were killed or wounded in such operations since March 10.
Turkey said this week that its military may mount an offensive against the PKK in Iraq's Sinjar region if the Iraqi government doesn't act against the group, which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its allies.
Turkey says Sinjar has turned into a PKK headquarters.
But Thursday’s strike on the PKK came a day after Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari expressed “absolute rejection” of any violation by Turkish forces to Iraq’s borders.
