2 Turkish soldiers killed during anti-terror operation in northern Iraq

Two Turkish soldiers were killed during an ongoing anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday, Anadolu reports.

Two soldiers were “martyred and three others injured as a result of harassing fire by the members of the separatist terrorist organization” during Turkiye’s Operation Claw-Lock, a ministry statement said.

The ministry offered condolences to the families of the soldiers and the Turkish nation.

Turkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April to target the PKK terror organization’s hideouts in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq, located 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 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 more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

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