Türkiye eliminates 3 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

The Turkish National Defence Ministry has announced that Turkish security forces "neutralized" three PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) terrorists in northern Iraq within Türkiye's military operation zone.

The ministry released a statement, emphasizing the targeted operation against the terrorists, Caliber.Az reports, citing Anadolu.

The Turkish Armed Forces are actively and resolutely conducting operations to eliminate terrorist hideouts and eradicate terrorism at its source, according to the ministry's statement. PKK terrorists frequently use northern Iraq as a base to plan and launch cross-border attacks into Türkiye.

Ankara initiated Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022, focusing on dismantling PKK hideouts in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq, near the Turkish border. The term "neutralize" is used by Turkish authorities to indicate that the terrorists either surrendered, were killed, or captured during such operations.

The PKK, labelled a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been engaged in a terror campaign against Türkiye for more than 35 years. The organization is responsible for over 40,000 casualties, including women, children, and infants. This latest operation underscores Türkiye's ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and secure its borders against threats from the PKK.