Turkish army kills 10 PKK members in northern Iraq
On Monday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the “neutralization” of 10 members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq.
The ministry announced in a statement that "the PKK members were neutralized in the Gara, Hakurk, and Metina regions of northern Iraq," reaffirming that the fight against PKK militants will continue.
Earlier this month, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that the number of PKK militants killed since the beginning of 2024 has risen to 2,505.”
Since the start of summer 2024, the Turkish military has intensified operations in the region, targeting PKK positions and fortifications in the Matin Mountain range with warplanes and drones. In response, PKK fighters have stayed entrenched in caves and mountain shelters, hindering the success of Turkish operations.
The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been engaged in an armed struggle against the Turkish state since the 1980s, seeking greater autonomy for the Kurdish population in Turkiye. This decades-long conflict has led to tens of thousands of deaths, with Turkiye conducting cross-border military operations to target PKK strongholds in Iraq and YPG positions in Syria, both of which Ankara views as extensions of the PKK.
