Turkish soldier succumbs to injuries from terror attack in northern Iraq

By Gozde Bayar

A Turkish soldier has died after being injured in a terror attack in Türkiye’s anti-terror operation zone in northern Iraq, according to the Turkish National Defense Ministry on Saturday.

The soldier, Erkan Selcuk, who was injured Friday, died from injuries sustained from an explosion of an improvised explosive device positioned by terrorists on Türkiye’s Operation Claw-Lock zone, it said.

He later died at a hospital.

The ministry extended condolences to Selcuk’s family, the Turkish Armed Forces and the nation.

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 in April 2022 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 EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.