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Türkiye Signals May Launch ‘Simple’ Military Operation Against PKK in Iraq

PKK fighters in the Qandil Mountains of northern Iraq. (Reuters)
PKK fighters in the Qandil Mountains of northern Iraq. (Reuters)
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Türkiye Signals May Launch ‘Simple’ Military Operation Against PKK in Iraq

PKK fighters in the Qandil Mountains of northern Iraq. (Reuters)
PKK fighters in the Qandil Mountains of northern Iraq. (Reuters)

Türkiye has indicated it may launch a limited military operation against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Sinjar region of northern Iraq, while stressing its readiness to work with any government that assumes power in Baghdad.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the PKK is set to become a major issue for Iraq, noting that the group does not control any territory inside Türkiye, but “occupies large areas in Iraq”.

“How can a sovereign state allow this?” he asked, adding that “changes could soon take place” in several areas, including Iraq’s Sinjar, Makhmour and the Qandil Mountains.

Fidan outlined what he described as the PKK’s current deployment, saying Makhmour, south of Erbil near the Nineveh province, hosts the group’s civilian structures, while Sinjar, northwest of Mosul near the Syrian border, hosts its armed elements.

He said the leadership and command structures are based in the Qandil Mountains, with other strongholds near Duhok lying outside the area covered by Türkiye’s ongoing Claw Operation.

In a televised interview late Monday, Fidan stated that Sinjar is surrounded by Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), revealing that Ankara has held around 20 meetings with PMF leader Faleh al-Fayyad to address the issue.

On possible military action against the PKK, he described it as “a simple military operation,” in which PMF forces would advance on the ground while Türkiye conducts air operations, estimating it would take two or three days.

Since 2024, Türkiye has pursued negotiations with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, which led to his call on February 27, 2025, for the group to dissolve and lay down its arms.

The PKK subsequently announced a ceasefire, declared its dissolution on May 12, 2025, and held symbolic weapons-burning ceremonies in the Qandil Mountains in July. In October, it announced the withdrawal of its fighters from Türkiye to areas in Qandil.

On Baghdad’s position, Fidan said the Iraqi government would be forced to demonstrate genuine political will toward the PKK, insisting that the group cannot remain in Sinjar.

Iraq began addressing the issue during the tenure of former prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and that, under current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the PKK has sought to expand its presence in Baghdad, he remarked.

Baghdad is in the process of forming a new government, months after holding parliamentary elections.

Over the past two years, Ankara and Baghdad have established a high-level security coordination mechanism to confront the PKK, holding five meetings in both capitals. The latest took place in April. Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Iraq in April 2024, Iraq’s National Security Council formally designated the PKK a banned organization.

Fidan also said the Kurdish issue in Syria has direct implications for Iraq, hoping that Baghdad would draw lessons from recent developments in Syria, including the integration of Kurdish forces into the Syrian army, and take “prudent decisions to ease Iraq’s own transition”.

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Arab World

Al-Sharaa: Syrian-Iraqi Borders Are Completely Secure, ISIS Threats Have Dropped

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. (AFP)
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. (AFP)
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Al-Sharaa: Syrian-Iraqi Borders Are Completely Secure, ISIS Threats Have Dropped

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. (AFP)
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. (AFP)

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stressed on Tuesday that the Syrian-Iraqi borders are completely secure, saying joint coordination was underway between the two neighbors.

In an interview with Iraq’s Dijlah TV, he added that the threats posed by the ISIS terrorist group have dropped, saying that no organization currently presents a danger to the two countries.

Al-Sharaa also said he welcomes a visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to Syria. The Syrian and Iraqi governments are in agreement over several issues that bind them.

Iraqi media have reported that al-Zaidi is set to kick off an official visit to Syria on Wednesday. He will visit at the head of a large ministerial delegation to discuss bilateral ties, and issues related to water, oil and trade between the two countries.

The relationship with Iraq is not based on sectarian or ethnic considerations but on shared history and deep economic ties, al-Sharaa stressed.

He said visiting the shrine of Sayyida Zeinab is available while ensuring security conditions, noting that individuals who tried to exploit the issue to stir sectarian strife have been arrested.

"Syria does not view Iraq through a sectarian lens. We share a great deal in common, and social relations between Iraq and Syria have remained healthy for years. Since we came to power, Baghdad's policies have been positive, despite attempts by some factions to adopt differing stances,” al-Sharaa said.

“I did not intervene in any sectarian conflict in Iraq following the events of 2003. I was released from prison in Iraq in 2011, after which I returned to Syria,” he remarked.

"Syria’s stability is in the interest of Iraq and vice versa. We must build upon our common ground and establish an appropriate environment for relations, free of fears. What unites us is greater than what divides us, and we have had enough of wars and disputes. I have not assaulted any civilian in Iraq," he declared.

“We are communicating with international companies to connect the Baniyas pipeline to oil refineries, and memorandums of understanding have been signed between Syria and Iraq regarding the Baniyas–Kirkuk pipeline,” al-Sharaa went on to say.

“Syria is Iraq's gateway and maritime outlet, serving as the strategic route to the West. Syria is considered Iraq's gateway to the Mediterranean Sea for oil exports,” he noted.

Arab World

Yemeni Govt Forces Press Advance on Houthis Near Bab al-Mandeb, in Taiz

A fighter loyal to Yemen's legitimate government fires a machine gun balanced on a motorcycle at a position along the frontlines against the Houthis around Mount al-Midan in Yemen's western Taiz province on October 26, 2026. (AFP)
A fighter loyal to Yemen's legitimate government fires a machine gun balanced on a motorcycle at a position along the frontlines against the Houthis around Mount al-Midan in Yemen's western Taiz province on October 26, 2026. (AFP)
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Yemeni Govt Forces Press Advance on Houthis Near Bab al-Mandeb, in Taiz

A fighter loyal to Yemen's legitimate government fires a machine gun balanced on a motorcycle at a position along the frontlines against the Houthis around Mount al-Midan in Yemen's western Taiz province on October 26, 2026. (AFP)
A fighter loyal to Yemen's legitimate government fires a machine gun balanced on a motorcycle at a position along the frontlines against the Houthis around Mount al-Midan in Yemen's western Taiz province on October 26, 2026. (AFP)

Fighting spread across Yemen on Tuesday as government forces renewed their push against remaining Houthi pockets near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, while battles raged around Taiz amid heavy airstrikes on Houthi positions, reinforcements and supply lines.

Government forces reported gains in several strategic positions.

Fierce clashes erupted near Bab al-Mandeb between the Houthis and government forces backed by the Giants Brigades, Nation's Shield Forces and Tihama Brigades, as troops battled to seize hills overlooking the vital waterway.

The fighting coincided with airstrikes on Houthi positions around the port city of Mokha and along Yemen's western coast.

Government military sources said troops captured strategic hilltops after attacking Houthi positions, killing and wounding fighters and forcing others to flee by boat.

Preliminary reports pointed to strikes on boats and maritime supplies believed to be used by the Houthis to ferry reinforcements and equipment to positions near the strait.

Sources in the Nation's Shield Forces dismissed reports that the Houthis had seized the Kahboub mountains, saying their troops remained deployed at Dhubab Airport and across the surrounding mountain range.

A fighter loyal to Yemen's legitimate government operates a turret from the back of a pickup truck at a position along the frontlines against the Houthis around Mount al-Midan in Yemen's western Taiz province on October 26, 2026. (AFP)

Government forces push forward in Taiz

Battles continued across Taiz city and its surrounding countryside, with airstrikes pounding Houthi positions, troop concentrations and reinforcements as government forces and local resistance fighters sought to strengthen their positions and thwart Houthi advances.

Government military sources said troops seized Mount al-Midan after fierce fighting backed by airstrikes. Field sources said government troops and local fighters also established fire control over in areas along the Al-Dhabab road.

Troops had begun clearing, securing and consolidating their newly captured positions, said Yemeni army Colonel Abdulbasit al-Bahr.

But government forces met stiff resistance near the Old Airport military camp and the Madrat area, where heavy fire and heavy weapons thwarted their attempts to advance, he revealed.

He reported Houthi fighters killed, wounded and captured, along with military vehicles destroyed or set ablaze.

Heavy clashes also broke out on the Shaqab and Al-Aqroud fronts, with both sides exchanging fire using various weapons. Government sources said troops repelled a Houthi attack in Al-Aqroud.

Authorities in Taiz said Houthi sniper fire killed five civilians and wounded five others, including children, in the villages of Hamma, Al-Damna and nearby communities. Shelling also struck residential neighborhoods on the city's outskirts. Local sources reported airstrikes near Taiz Airport and across several areas of the province.

A fighter loyal to Yemen's legitimate government fires a turret from the back of a pickup truck at a position along the frontlines against the Houthis around Mount al-Midan in Yemen's western Taiz province on October 26, 2026. (AFP)

1,276 strikes

Yemen's armed forces said they carried out 1,276 strikes in 24 hours under Operation Dawn of Yemen, targeting Houthi military capabilities across multiple fronts in an indication of the widening campaign.

Military spokesman Colonel Majed al-Nuzaili said the strikes targeted command-and-control centers, defensive positions, firing positions, reinforcements, transport and supply vehicles, and weapons and ammunition depots.

Strikes also hit targets deeper inside Houthi-held territory in an effort to disrupt the group's ability to direct operations and regroup its forces, he said.

The military said the operations had neutralized about 382 Houthi commanders and fighters, destroyed or disabled 140 military vehicles and heavy weapons, and destroyed weapons and ammunition depots.

Nuzaili said simultaneous operations were continuing across Al-Jawf, Marib, Al-Bayda and the southern and southwestern fronts, targeting Houthi movements, defenses and supply lines.

The aim, he said, was to restrict the Houthis' ability to move reserves and concentrate forces on a single front.

As fighting intensified, government officials and rights groups raised alarms over the impact of shelling and the siege on civilians in Taiz.

Yemen's Human Rights Ministry condemned attacks on densely populated neighborhoods with mortar shells, Katyusha rockets and ballistic missiles.

It urged the international community to act to halt the attacks, lift the siege and hold those responsible for targeting civilians and civilian property accountable.

On the diplomatic front, Yemeni Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani discussed the military escalation and its humanitarian fallout with European Union Ambassador to Yemen Patrick Simonnet, including the continuing siege of Taiz and attacks on civilian facilities.

Zindani urged international pressure to end the Houthi siege and reopen roads for civilians and humanitarian aid.

He also pointed to the European Commission's allocation of an additional 22.5 million euros in humanitarian assistance for Yemen.

Arab World

Syria Mourns Daraa Victims, Moves to Form Emergency Joint Committee with Jordan

Mourners pray over the bodies of those who were killed in airstrikes carried out by Jordan the night before on the village of Al-Taf in the Al-Lajat region, located in the northeastern countryside of Daraa, during their funeral on October 27, 2026. (AFP)
Mourners pray over the bodies of those who were killed in airstrikes carried out by Jordan the night before on the village of Al-Taf in the Al-Lajat region, located in the northeastern countryside of Daraa, during their funeral on October 27, 2026. (AFP)
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Syria Mourns Daraa Victims, Moves to Form Emergency Joint Committee with Jordan

Mourners pray over the bodies of those who were killed in airstrikes carried out by Jordan the night before on the village of Al-Taf in the Al-Lajat region, located in the northeastern countryside of Daraa, during their funeral on October 27, 2026. (AFP)
Mourners pray over the bodies of those who were killed in airstrikes carried out by Jordan the night before on the village of Al-Taf in the Al-Lajat region, located in the northeastern countryside of Daraa, during their funeral on October 27, 2026. (AFP)

Residents of Syria's southern Daraa province mourned seven civilians killed in Jordanian airstrikes on Tuesday, as public anger mounted over the deaths of children and elderly people and calls grew for an investigation.

Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the military action as "completely unacceptable," accusing what it called "suspicious parties" of seeking to undermine the close ties between the two countries.

In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said Syria and Jordan were coordinating to urgently establish a joint field and security committee to address on-the-ground violations and prevent their recurrence.

Mourners in Daraa demanded an investigation into the strikes, which hit several locations across the province, and called on Jordan to explain the intelligence behind its choice of targets.

Syria's state-run Al-Ikhbariya television quoted mourners as insisting the targeted sites were civilian and that no terrorist organizations operated in their province.

Military expert Imad Shahoud called the proposed joint committee "a belated measure that should have been taken before the operation."

A man inspects the damage in the aftermath of airstrikes carried out by Jordan on the village of Al-Taf in the Al-Lajat region, located in the northeastern countryside of Daraa, on October 27, 2026. (AFP)

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Shahoud said an error had caused civilian deaths and that the victims' families were entitled to compensation.

He placed primary responsibility on Jordanian intelligence, saying it should have verified its information and target coordinates in coordination with Syrian authorities.

Shahoud also pointed to what he described as a professional failure to conduct surveillance of the targets for at least 24 hours.

Questioning the use of F-16 fighter jets against a "terrorist cell," he said such operations should aim to capture suspects alive whenever possible.

Jordanian warplanes struck several locations in Daraa overnight Monday into Tuesday.

Daraa's Health Directorate put the casualty toll between dead and wounded at 10.

Syria's People's Assembly joined calls for a joint investigation, condemning the "crime that killed civilians, including women and children."

The assembly also underscored the deep ties between the Syrian and Jordanian peoples.

Despite the condemnation, official statements from Damascus and Amman signaled a shared desire to protect bilateral relations.

Syrian politician and People's Assembly member Moayad Ghazlan said relations between the two countries were "greater than any mistakes," while cautioning against blaming a third party without evidence.

"We are counting on bilateral relations being stronger than any mistakes, but we cannot accept a failure to investigate what happened, take responsibility for this grave incident or compensate families for the devastating loss of our martyrs' lives," Ghazlan told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Mourners join the funeral procession for five family members, including three children, killed in a Jordanian airstrike in southern Syria's Daraa province, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. (AP)

He said security cooperation and broader ties between Syria and Jordan were improving, but suggested their joint fight against terrorism and firm opposition to Israeli violations had angered parties seeking to undermine the relationship.

Asked whether the strikes could damage bilateral ties, Ghazlan was emphatic. "Our relationship with Jordan must not be affected. It is strong and deeply rooted," he said, adding that such ties required full respect for sovereignty and coordination with Syrian authorities under agreed counterterrorism protocols.

Syrian analysts broadly agreed that a security failure had led to the civilian deaths, though questions remained over how the operation unfolded.

Political and media analyst Ali Eid pointed to a wider security gap in southern Syria, blaming Israeli actions for preventing Damascus from deploying sufficient security forces and carrying out adequate sweeps to secure the region.

Eid, himself from Daraa, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel was a major underlying cause of the disorder that had created conditions for such interventions, even if its role was not immediately visible.

He said the lack of coordination over the strikes exposed differences between Damascus and Amman on security matters, with the civilian deaths laying bare the consequences.

Eid said the Syrian Foreign Ministry had sought to balance its response by preserving relations with Jordan while asserting Syrian sovereignty and insisting on prior coordination for any future operations.

"Syrian territory is the responsibility of the Syrian state, not the Jordanian side," he said.

With no tangible evidence that terrorists were among those killed, Eid said the strikes had fueled widespread public anger and intensified pressure on Syria's government and president.

That pressure would likely force a different approach to security coordination, he said, though any such effort would probably "run into Israeli obstacles."