14 Kurdish militants killed in ‘Claw Lock’ in northern Iraq
A Turkish soldier taking part in one of the Turkish military operations. Al-Ain news image.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday that 14 militants belong to Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were killed in the Turkish military Operation Claw Lock in northern Iraq, according to Al-Ain news.
A press statement of the Turkish Ministry of Defense indicated that the Turkish armed forces will continue its military operations to destroy terrorists’ strongholds in Kurdistan region in northern Iraq.
Turkey launched the Operation Claw Lock on April 18 against the strongholds of PKK in Metina, Zap and Avashin-Basyan in northern Iraq.
The Turkish military and police forces have been pursuing PKK members inside and outside the country, particularly in northern Iraq and Syria, through security and military operations, as it is on a terrorism list locally.
Turkey emphasizes that its operations against the PKK come in response to attacks carried out by PKK militants targeting Turkish security forces inside the Turkish borders from time to time.
The Turkish army, through Operation Euphrates Shield launched in August 2016 and ended in March 2017, succeeded to clear 2055 square kilometers in Northern Syria from terrorist groups.