Türkiye ‘neutralizes’ 11 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish security forces “neutralized” 11 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

Terrorists were targeted in northern Iraq's Harkuk and Operation Claw-Lock regions, the ministry said in a statement.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock 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 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.