Turkish soldier killed in anti-terror operation in northern Iraq

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish soldier was killed in northern Iraq where the Turkish army launched Operation Claw-Lock to rid the area of terror elements, the National Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Abdullah Bayram was killed after PKK terrorists opened harassing fire in the operation zone, according to the ministry.

The ministry expressed condolences to Bayram’s family, the Turkish Armed Forces and the Turkish nation.

Separately, Turkish soldiers “neutralized” four PKK terrorists in Operation Claw-Lock and Claw-Tiger zones in northern Iraq.

“Our heroic Turkish Armed Forces are continuing terror nests with steel claws,” said the ministry.

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

Meanwhile, two more PKK/YPG terror members, who opened harassing fire on Turkish soldiers, were also “neutralized” by the Turkish security forces in the Operation Euphrates Shield zone in northern Syria.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

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