Kurds down a Turkish military helicopter in Iraq

Turkish officials declined to comment on the Kurdish claim.

According to a Russian news agency, Kurds have shot down a Turkish attack helicopter over Iraqi Kurdistan as the helicopter was engaged in airstrike against Kurds.

It was reported previously that Ankara conducted airstrike against PKK targets in Iraq and Turkish military had been also targeting Kurds inside the country and shelling Kurdish militias in northern Syria.

A representative from the American Kurdish Information Network told that Russian news agency that Ankara would refrain from reporting any losses in operations against the Kurds; it would try to portray the Turkish military unbeaten and invincible.

“The Turkish authorities are aiming to make the Kurds submit to them and come down on their knees, scores of Turkish soldiers were taken prisoner by the Kurds with the Turkish government never acknowledging such facts,” the representative said.

However, Turkish officials declined to comment on the Kurdish claim. Even, Turkish media remains silent on allegedly downed helicopter.

According to Turkish government, from July to September last year, 150 Turkish officers and over 2,000 Kurdish rebels were killed.  In December 2015, Turkish military operation in southeastern Turkey has killed hundreds of civilians, displaced hundreds of thousands and caused massive destruction in residential areas.