UPDATE - Türkiye ‘neutralizes’ 16 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, Syria

UPDATE WITH MORE TERRORISTS NEUTRALIZED; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish security forces “neutralized” at least 16 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq and Syria, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

As many as 11 PKK terrorists were targeted in northern Iraq's Harkuk and Operation Claw-Lock regions, the ministry said in a statement.

Separately, the ministry announced neutralizing at least five PKK/YPG terrorists in Operation Olive Branch and Peace Spring zones.

"We continue to punish terrorists, whose sole purpose is to shed blood in the region they exist," the ministry said on Twitter.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

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

It came after 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.

Since 2016, Ankara has also initiated successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor, and enable the 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 EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is PKK's Syrian branch.