Turkish forces thwart PKK attack by downing model plane in northern Iraq

ANKARA

Turkish forces shot down a model plane that the PKK terror group tried to use to mount an attack in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The model plane was destroyed by Turkish commandos in the Metina region, the ministry said in a statement.

It said Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim are continuing successfully in northern Iraq.

As Turkish commandos continue to destroy the terror group’s hideouts, the terrorists are afraid to come out of their shelters so they are attempting to mount attacks using model planes, the ministry said.

Turkey launched Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim on April 23 in northern Iraq’s Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions near its borders.

The PKK terror group often uses bases in northern Iraq just across Turkey’s southern border to hide and plot terror attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.