5 Turkish soldiers killed in northern Iraq terror attack

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Five Turkish soldiers were killed in a terror attack in northern Iraq, Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"Five of our brave comrades were martyred in a clash with terrorists attempting to infiltrate our base in the Operation Claw-Lock zone," the ministry said in a statement, adding that eight soldiers were also injured, three of them critically.

The wounded were transferred to hospital, the statement said, adding that at least 12 terrorists were neutralized during the fighting.

The ministry expressed grief and sorrow over the incident, extended condolences to the victims, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to target the PKK terror organization's hideouts in Iraq's northern 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 the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.