Turkey 'neutralizes' 4 PKK terrorists in N.Iraq

By Dilan Pamuk

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces "neutralized" four PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

A terrorist was neutralized in the operational region as well as three others while hiding in a cave, according to the ministry's statements.

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

As part of Operation Claw-Thunderbolt, a PKK terrorist, detected at a point where Turkish soldier Mustafa Calim was martyred, was neutralized before he could escape.

"The blood of our martyrs has not gone unavenged, and it shall not!" the ministry said.

Three terrorists hiding in a cave were detected and neutralized by Turkish Air Forces in the Avasin-Basyan region as part of the same operation, another statement said.

"So the total number of PKK terrorists neutralized in operations Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions has reached 37," added the ministry.

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

The Claw operations are a series of military operations that Turkey launched in 2019 against terrorist organizations in northern Iraq, particularly the PKK.