Türkiye ‘neutralizes’ 7 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

ANKARA

Turkish security forces “neutralized” seven PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense said on Saturday.

“For our martyrs, for our nation, for this holy homeland, we continue to struggle tirelessly,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the terrorists had been targeted in the Operation Claw-Lock zone.

Turkish authorities use the term “neutralized” to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April to target the PKK terror organization’s hideouts in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq, located near the Turkish border.

It was preceded by Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle launched in 2020 to root out terrorists hiding out in northern Iraq and plotting cross-border attacks in Türkiye.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

• Neutralized
• Northern Iraq
• Operation Claw-Lock
• PKK
• Turkiye