By Gizem Nisa Cebi
ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish security forces "neutralized" four PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
"Our heroic Turkish Armed Forces neutralized 3 PKK terrorists in the Operation Claw-Lock area and 1 PKK terrorist in the Hakurk region in northern Iraq,” the ministry said on X.
"Our fight against terrorism continues effectively and decisively," it added.
Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye.
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.