2 Turkish soldiers killed in northern Iraq

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) – Two Turkish soldiers were killed in northern Iraq where the Turkish army launched an operation to clear the area of terrorists, the National Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Infantry Lieutenant Duabey Onur Ozturkmen and Infantry Private Ismail Unal were killed after separatist terrorists opened fire at the Operation Claw-Lock zone, the ministry said in a statement.

It conveyed condolences to the soldier’s family, the Turkish Armed Forces, and the Turkish people.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April to target the PKK terror organization's hideouts in northern Iraq's Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions 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.