• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operation Winter Eagle

The Winter Eagle Air Operation was carried out by the Ministry of National Defense on 01 February 2022 against terrorist targets in the shadows of Derik, Sincar and Karacak. Ankara said the attacks were launched against positions occupied by the PKK, the People’s Protection Units (YPG) who it views as a PKK affiliate, and other “outlawed groups” in the northern Syrian area of Derik and the northern Iraqi regions of Sinjar and Karacak.

In the statement made by the Ministry, “By neutralizing PKK/KCK/YPG and other terrorist elements; In order to eliminate the terrorist attacks against our people and security forces from the North of Iraq and Syria and to ensure our border security; In line with our self-defense rights arising from Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the Winter Eagle Air Operation was carried out against terrorist nests in the Derik, Sinjar and Karacak regions in the North of Iraq and Syria, which are used as bases by terrorists.

In the Winter Eagle Operation carried out; shelters, bunkers, caves, tunnels, ammunition depots and so-called headquarters and training camps belonging to terrorists who threaten our country, nation and border security were targeted. In the planning and execution of the operation, maximum sensitivity was shown for the safety of life and property of the civilian population and the protection of the environment. After the operation, in which mostly domestic and national ammunition was used, all of the aircraft returned safely to their bases.

Iraq’s military condemned the Turkish strikes as a violation of Iraqi air space.

Turkey’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said the international community needs to support Ankara more in its fight against “terror”. “Our strategy of eradicating terror at its source has made significant contributions to our national unity, territorial integrity, and border security. This strategy, which has been outlined by our president, is also at the service of global peace,” Altun wrote.