Conflicts between Iranian military forces and Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) continued through to Sunday morning in Iraqi territory, said PKK spokesman Ahmad Denise.
Denise told Zamaneh’s correspondent that the conflicts began two days ago when Iranian forces entered Iraqi Kurdistan territory and subjected PKK forces to artillery attack.
He added that Iranian forces have suffered more than 50 deaths and injuries, while four PKK members were killed and two have been wounded.
Denise said Iranian forces have now retreated in two areas, and the conflict continued this morning.
The PKK spokesman predicted further and more intensified attacks by Iranian forces. He said these attacks are a joint effort between the Turkish and Iranian military, contending that a number of Turkish soldiers have been spotted among the Iranian forces.
Iraqi Kurdistan media reported that Islamic Republic forces have called on residents in the border regions to leave their homes within 72 hours.
Denise reported that over the last 15 days, the Iraqi Kurdistan border region has been subjected to heavy artillery attack; he speculated on whether last week’s opening of a U.S. consulate in Arbil city could be at the root of the attacks.
Last week, Iranian media reported that a top military official has said the head of Kurdistan Territory, Massoud Barezani, has allotted 300 thousand acres of land to the PJAK party, the militant Iranian-Kurdish group now based in Iraqi Kurdistan territory.
General Jabbar Yavar, a spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), denied the allegations in an interview with Zamaneh.
Earlier, Massoud Barzani had condemned Iranian artillery attacks in the border regions and warned they could jeopardize relations between the KRG and Iran.
Iranian media have not yet published any reports regarding the recent conflicts in the northwestern borders.
Last week, Turkish officials reported that 13 soldiers were killed in conflicts with PKK in the country’s southwestern region.
