UPDATE - Türkiye ‘neutralizes’ 7 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, Syria

UPDATES WITH ANTI-TERROR OPERATION IN SYRIA; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK AND LEDE; ADDS MORE BACKGROUND

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish security forces “neutralized” seven PKK terrorists in the northern regions of Iraq and Syria, authorities said on Thursday.

Four of the terrorists were targeted in the Operation Claw-Lock zone in northern Iraq, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Turkish forces use the term “neutralize” to indicate the terrorist in question either surrendered or was killed or captured.

The ministry added that the action represents “revenge” for a Turkish soldier killed by the terrorist PKK.

On Oct. 12, Turkish soldier Ibrahim Han was injured by a handmade explosive planted by PKK terrorists in the Operation Claw-Lock zone. He later died in hospital.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April to target the PKK terror organization’s hideouts in northern Iraq’s 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 out in northern Iraq and plotting cross-border attacks in Türkiye.

Later, the ministry said in a separate statement that three PKK terrorists, who were plotting an attack on Turkish soldiers, were also “neutralized” 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 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.