Turkey neutralizes 48 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

By Sarp Ozer

SIRNAK, Turkey (AA) - Forty-eight PKK terrorists were neutralized, including two senior members, in northern Iraq during Turkey's anti-terror operation that has been completed, the Turkish defense chief said Sunday.

Hulusi Akar said two terrorists were captured and the region was mostly cleared of the terror group during the "extremely special and critical" operation in the Gara region.

"The operation has been completed. Our land and air elements returned to their bases and barracks safely," he said at the operations center on the border in southeastern Sirnak province.

Turkey launched Operation Claw-Eagle 2 on Wednesday in line with its right to self-defense according to international law to prevent the PKK/KCK and other terror groups' efforts to re-establish positions used to carry out terror attacks against Turkey.

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

Turkey's operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle were launched last June to ensure the safety of Turks and borders by eliminating the threat of the PKK and other terrorist groups that often use northern Iraq to plan cross-border attacks.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.