Kurdish man targeted by PKK during Paragliding

Terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) shot a Kurdish paraglider in Douk province of northern Iraq.

Wisam Nona, a professional paragliding pilot who has been paragliding in the Kurdish region mountains for seven years, was shot by PKK terrorists while flying over Sargali village near Amedi city.

After landing he was beaten badly and shot at least three times by the same terrorists.

PKK claimed the village as a part of their so-called military area.

“Nona's condition was very bad because he was shot three times, injuring his chest, belly and hand," said Dr. Nizar Ismat, the General Director of Health in Duhok.

“It is good that Nona was brought to the hospital immediately," Ismat said. “Doctors provided necessary medical treatment for him, and we hope his condition will improve."

Nona explained the incident to reporters at the hospital, stating that the PKK terrorists shot him after insulting and beating him first.

“I was paragliding from the sky in Amedi area near Sargali village, and I didn't know that PKK terrorists were there," he said. “One of the terrorists came to me and asked me for identification and I told them that I was a paraglider."

“Why are you paragliding here, don't you know it is a military location?" the terrorists asked, according to Nona.

“How should I know it is a military area? It is a village, how did it become a military location?" Nona responded.

He also mentioned that the PKK members started to damage the parachute, but when he tried to defend himself, the terrorists shot him.

“I was shot by three bullets but I don't know what kind of weapon they used. I was lying injured on the ground for 30 minutes," Nona stated.

Turkey, the EU and the US regard the PKK as a terrorist organization.

Turkish military aircraft often patrol and hit PKK targets in the area.

The strikes against PKK terror camps inside Turkey and in northern Iraq resumed on July 24 the last summer after two officers were found dead in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa. The PKK claimed responsibility for the slayings, which were in reprisal for a suicide bombing which left more than 30 people dead in Suruç town. They called off a ceasefire that had held since 2013 and resumed attacks.

Since then, curfews have been imposed in several cities in Turkey's southeast to eliminate the terror group. Gendarmerie and combat helicopters also supported the sweeping operations.

Turkish war planes struck PKK targets such as gun positions, bunkers, shelters and caves as part of the ongoing military campaign.