Turkish soldier dead from injuries in northern Iraq bomb blast

By Burcu Calik Gocumlu

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish soldier died Saturday from injuries sustained in a bomb blast in northern Iraq, according to the National Defense Ministry.

Specialist sergeant Gokhan Demir was seriously injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated in the area of the counter-terror Operation Claw-Lock campaign, the ministry said in a statement.

The soldier, who was taken to a hospital, could not be saved despite all medical efforts, it added.

It also extended condolences to Demir’s family and the Turkish nation.

The ministry said earlier that an IED killed another soldier and wounded three others.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April to target the PKK terror organization's hideouts in Iraq’s northern regions of Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan, near the Turkish border.

It was preceded by Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle, which were 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 US, and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.