The Iraqi army shot down a Turkish armed drone over the city of Kirkuk today, causing it to crash into a nearby residential area.
According to Baghdad-based Al Sumaria TV, the drone was downed for violating Iraq’s airspace without authorization.
Footage shared on social media purportedly shows the wreckage of the drone, identified as an 'Aksungur,' a model produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ). It is a medium-altitude, long-endurance known for its surveillance and combat capabilities.
Lieutenant General Abdulsalam Hammoudi Ramadan, deputy air defense commander of Iraq's Northern region, confirmed that the drone was of Turkish origin. He stated that it had entered Iraqi airspace from the direction of Sulaymaniyah and was intercepted by Iraq’s air defense systems.
As of now, Turkish officials have not issued any statement regarding the incident.
In recent years, Turkey has frequently conducted airstrikes in the Kurdistan region in Iraq’s north as part of its ongoing military campaign against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group.
Today’s incident marks the first time Iraq has responded with direct military action during Turkey’s seven-year uninterrupted military presence in Iraqi territory. (VK)
