4 Turkish soldiers killed in military operation in northern Iraq
A funeral of Turkish soldiers in the Turkish capital Ankara. Photo: Anadolu Agency
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Turkish Ministry of Defence announced on Sunday that four soldiers were killed in an explosion of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the ongoing military operation in northern Iraq and published the names and pictures of the soldiers.
Earlier, Ankara announced the launch of Operation Claw Lock in northern Iraq against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its loyal factions which Turkey and its allies describe as terrorists.
The Turkish Ministry of Defence announces the killing of militants as well as soldiers from time to time during the operation.
On the other hand, the Iraqi Presidency condemned the Turkish military operation, and considered it a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and a threat to its national security.
After the launch of the military operation, the Turkish Minister of Defence, Hulusi Akar, said in a statements that the operation comes within the framework of eliminating the strongholds of terrorism in northern Iraq, and ensuring the security of the Turkish borders, while respecting the sovereignty of Iraq and its territorial integrity.
The Operation Claw Lock comes after two other military operations named Claw Lightning and Claw Thunderbolt in 2021, and Claw Eagle and Claw Tiger in 2020.
Turkey frequently carries out attacks against military bases and training camps of the PKK near Sinjar town in Nineveh governorate, and in mountainous areas in Kurdistan region bordering Turkey.