Kurdish media says Turkish bombardment killed at least nine tourists in Northern Iraq

A Turkish bombardment targeting several touristic locations in Iraqi Kurdistan's Duhok province, killed at least nine tourists and injured several others, including children, Rudaw reported on Wednesday, citing an official.

At least eight people were killed and 23 others were injured in Duhok’s Zakho district,

said Chiya Amin, the head of Zakho's tourism directorate, according to the news website.

The tourist were part of group of 200 people, traveling from Baghdad, the official said.

Video of the arrival of the wounded in the #Turkish shelling of a tourist area in #Zakho. Eight tourists were killed and 24 others injured.#Kurdistan #Turkey #Iraq pic.twitter.com/sJTNN4nDJp
— Bashar Azeez (@BasharAzeez2) July 20, 2022

TSK’nin Zaho sınırındaki turistik bölgeye düzenlediği top saldırısı anında yaşananlar kamerada pic.twitter.com/22vktHVFnp
— Kurdistan24 Türkçe (@K24Turkce) July 20, 2022

Turkish military bombarded Parakh village twice, Zakho mayor Muhsin Bashir said, claiming that Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members were “roaming the village,” prompting Turkey to bombard it.

Turkey began its latest military operation in northern Iraq on April 18, targeting Kurdish militants both from air and ground. Turkish Defense Ministry said it launched the operation after receiving information that the PKK was planning a large-scale attack.

PKK is an armed group, fighting a four-decade long war for Kurdish autonomous rights against Turkey, maintaining bases in mountainous regions of northern Iraq.

The moment of #Turkish shelling on tourist area in #Zakho . pic.twitter.com/0GPKYMXNpc
— Bashar Azeez (@BasharAzeez2) July 20, 2022

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry issued a written statement, condemning the attack.

"This is a violation of the sovereignty of Iraqi territory," it said, Kurdistan24 news website reported.