Türkiye 'neutralizes' 4 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

By Diyar Guldogan

Turkish security forces "neutralized" four PKK terrorists in northern Iraq near the Turkish border, the National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

"While (counter-terrorism) operations continue, four more PKK terrorists, including the planner of yesterday's treacherous attack, were neutralized," said a ministry statement, referring to an attack that took the lives of six Turkish soldiers.

"We did not and will not leave the blood of our martyrs on the ground,” it added.

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

Turkish Armed Forces continue to strike "terror nests" in the Operation Claw-Lock region, said the statement.

The attack came after six Turkish soldiers were killed on Wednesday when PKK terrorists opened harassing fire in northern Iraq, where Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to root out terrorists hiding in the border region.

According to the Turkish National Defense Ministry, a total of 586 terrorists have been neutralized so far in the Claw-Lock Operation.

On Wednesday's harassing fire, ministry sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said: "Harassment and attacks may be carried out by the terrorist organization during reconnaissance​​​​​​​ activities. The necessary response is given immediately.:

"Large-scale operations continue in the region. Each cave in the Operation Claw-Lock area will be entered, and these activities will continue until that area is completely cleared of terrorism," the sources added.

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.