Türkiye ‘neutralizes’ 3 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

Terrorists were identified in Operation Claw zone, says Turkish Ministry of National Defense

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.