Turkish army destroys seized explosives in Northern Iraq

Turkish security forces on Sunday destroyed seized improvised explosive devices (IED) in northern Iraq, as part of country’s ongoing counter-terror operation dubbed “Operation Claw-3”, Anadolu reports.

“In line with the successfully ongoing Operation Claw-3, a total of four IEDs were destroyed…” the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.

On Aug. 23, Turkey launched Operation Claw-3 in northern Iraq to battle the PKK terror group; dozens of terrorists and terror posts have been neutralized so far in line with the operation.

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The main objectives of the operation are to facilitate border security, neutralize terrorists, destroy caves and shelters in Sinat-Haftanin region in northern Iraq, according to an earlier statement by the ministry.

Turkey’s fighter jets, armed and reconnaissance drones and self-propelled howitzers are used to monitor and hit terrorists, who often use northern Iraq as a base to plan cross-border terror acts in Turkey.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.