Turkey launches second wave of airstrikes against ISIS in Syria, hits PKK camps in Northern Iraq


Turkish F-16 jets took off from their airbase on late Friday as part of the second wave of operation against ISIS (the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) units in Syria.

The operation ended at around 2 a.m. local time and Turkish media sources reported that the jets have returned back to the airbase in Diyarbakır.

In the operation, five PKK camps of Zap, Basyan, Gare, Avashin and Metina in Northern Iraq were targeted in the airstrikes. It was learned that PKK's training facilities, shelters and anti-aircraft batteries were kept in the five camps. PKK's headquarters located on Qandil Mountains in Northern Iraq were reportedly targeted in the attacks as well.

About 20 Turkish F-16 jets took off at around 10:30 p.m. local time from Diyarbakır 8th Main Air Base Command located in southeastern Turkey. Dividing into three arms upon take off, nine of the jets set for the PKK camps crossed the border through the Çukurca district of southeastern province Hakkari at 10:55 p.m. local time and entered Iraqi airspace.

Turkish heavy artillery located in the border province of Kilis pummelled ISIS positions in Syria while three F-16 jets took off from the Incirlik Air Base in Adana at 00:00 a.m. and headed towards Hatay and Kilis.

Commercial flights between 11:30 p.m. local time on Friday and 9:00 p.m. on Saturday in the region have been suspended until further notice. Turkish Airlines has also stopped all flights from Istanbul to Hakkari in Turkey.