Türkiye ‘neutralizes’ 9 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

Turkish security forces "neutralized" nine PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

Turkish soldiers targeted the terrorists in the Operation Claw-Lock zone, the ministry said in a written statement, adding: "We continue to shut the terror nests."

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 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 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 U.S., UK and EU-has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.