UPDATE - Turkiye ‘neutralizes’ 24 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, Syria

UPDATES WITH TERRORISTS NEUTRALIZED IN SYRIA; CHANGES HEADLINE, SPOT, LEDE, BYLINE

By Zehra Nur Duz and Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces neutralized at least 24 PKK terrorists in northern regions of Iraq and Syria, the country’s National Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry said on Twitter that nine terrorists were targeted in an air operation as part of Turkiye’s Operation Claw-Lock in northern Iraq.

The ministry also shared footage of the anti-terror operation.

Turkish authorities use the term “neutralized” to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Later, the ministry announced that 15 YPG/PKK terrorists were neutralized in northern Syria.

The terrorists were planning to attack Turkiye’s Operation Peace Spring and Operation Olive Branch areas, the ministry said on Twitter.

Since 2016, Turkiye 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 the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

Turkiye also launched Operation Claw-Lock last month to target PKK hideouts in northern Iraq’s Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions. It was preceded by 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 over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.