Türkiye ‘neutralizes’ 20 terrorists in air, ground operations in northern Iraq

Türkiye has "neutralized" 20 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq after the terror group killed nine Turkish soldiers on Friday, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"Following the attack in the Operation Claw-Lock region, where our heroic comrades were martyred, terrorist targets in the north of Iraq and Syria were effectively hit by our ground fire support vehicles as well as air operations," the ministry said on X.

"According to initial estimates, the number of terrorists neutralized in northern Iraq has increased to 20," the statement added.

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

Nine Turkish soldiers were killed in a PKK terror attack in northern Iraq on Friday.

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye. The group also has a Syrian branch, known as the YPG.

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.

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.

MIT 'NEUTRALIZES' SENIOR PKK/KCK TERRORIST IN NORTHERN IRAQ

The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has been closely monitoring the actions of the terrorist Faik Aydin, codenamed Renas Raperin, said the sources on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.

MIT found out that the terrorist pressured the local population in Iraq's Sulaymaniyah region to support and join the PKK terror group.

Sensitive work was carried out with the participation of field agents to end the activities of the terrorist, who had a critical role in the organization.

Aydin, who was recruiting new terror members from Europe, was targeted during Türkiye's cross-border anti-terror operation conducted 160 kilometers (99 miles) beyond Türkiye's border with Iraq.

Turkish intel agency determined that Aydin was involved in the youth and social activities of the terrorist group in Europe as the PKK/KCK terror group has not been able to find recruits recently.

The terrorist, who joined the armed staff of the group by moving to northern Iraq in 2015 after carrying out activities in several European countries for many years, had an arrest record on charges of "membership in an armed terrorist organization", and the terrorist was expected to get critical positions within the group.

It was further learned that one of the brothers of the terror member, Saygi Aydin, was involved in terrorist incidents in Türkiye's eastern Erzurum province between 2014 and 2018 and was "neutralized" in 2018, while his other brother Ferhat Aydin also died in Syria while operating for the PKK/YPG terror group in 2013-2014.

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

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye. The group also has a Syrian branch, known as the YPG.

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.