Türkiye ‘neutralizes’ 3 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) — Turkish security forces "neutralized" three PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, Türkiye's National Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.

The ministry said on X that the terrorists "identified in the Operation Claw region in northern Iraq were neutralized."

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.

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

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, UK, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.