Turkiye ‘neutralizes’ 2 terrorists in northern Iraq

By Sefa Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces have "neutralized" two more terrorists as part of the recently launched Operation Claw-Lock in northern Iraq, the country’s National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

"Our operation continues as planned with great success,” the ministry said on Twitter.

A total of 63 terrorists have been neutralized since the start of the operation, it added.

On April 18, Turkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock to target PKK hideouts in Iraq’s Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions. It preceded Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle, which were launched in 2020, to root out terrorists who hide in northern Iraq and plot cross-border attacks in Turkiye.

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

*Writing by Gozde Bayar