3 Turkish soldiers killed in terror attack in northern Iraq

By Cankut Tasdan

ANKARA (AA) – Three Turkish soldiers were killed during Türkiye’s anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said Monday.

Soldiers Necdet Calis and Emrah Gunduz were “martyred and two soldiers were wounded due to an attack by members of the separatist terrorist organization” in Türkiye’s Operation Claw-Lock zone, the ministry said in a statement.

One of the wounded later succumbed to his injuries, it added.

The terrorists' affiliation was not specified, but the PKK terror group has been known to be active in the region.

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

It was preceded by two operations – Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle – launched in 2020 to root out terrorists hiding 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 European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.