Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi criticized, on Tuesday, Turkey’s claim of escalating operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (P.K.K.) members as merely pre-election propaganda In recent days, however, Turkey has edged closer to Qandil, where the P.K.K. has a base. Abadi claims that there has been no discussion with Turkey on the issue. Though, the premier did admit that Turkey is maintaining a few bases in Iraq for surveillance purposes. Separately, Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli warned that Turkey will remain in northern Iraq as long as it takes to defeat the P.K.K. guerrillas. Canikli also claimed to have spoken with Baghdad and Iran about a joint operation in the Qandil Mountains.
At least three people were killed:
In Kirkuk, gunmen killed a musician.
A Peshmerga official was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Erbil.
Security forces in Dibs killed a militant official.
