2 Turkish soldiers succumb to wounds in northern Iraq

By Merve Yildizal

ANKARA (AA) - Two Turkish soldiers, who were wounded in an explosion of an improvised explosive device planted by the terrorist group PKK in northern Iraq, have succumbed to their injuries, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

In a statement, the ministry said that the two soldiers – Cem Ahmet Kaya and Halil Sahin – were injured in the explosion in the Claw-Lock Operation region earlier today.

The soldiers were rushed to the hospital where they breathed their last, the statement added.

PKK terrorists have hideouts in northern Iraq, across the Turkish border, which they use to plot attacks on Türkiye.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock last year in April to target the terrorist group PKK's hideouts in the Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq, located near the Turkish border.

It was preceded by two operations – Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle – launched in 2020 to root out terrorists hiding out 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 more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.