Turkish Army neutralizes 4 PKK militants in Iraq and Syria

Shafaq News/ The Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced, on Sunday, the neutralization of four Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in Iraq and Syria.

The ministry stated in a post on X that three PKK members were identified and neutralized in the Operation Claw-Lock area in northern Iraq, while another PKK/YPG militant was targeted in the Operation Peace Spring zone in northern Syria.

No further details were provided so far.

Turkiye uses the term “neutralize” to indicate that a member has been killed or captured.

Notably, Operation Peace Spring, launched by Turkiye on October 9, 2019, and concluding on November 25, 2019, aimed to establish a "safe zone" by driving Kurdish forces away from the Turkish-Syrian border.

During this time, Turkish forces and their allies captured key territories, including Ras al-Ayn, Tell Abyad, and sections of the strategic M4 highway, securing control over an area of approximately 4,820 square kilometers.

The Claw-Lock operation, launched by Turkiye in April 2021, targets the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the KRI, particularly in regions such as Gara, Hakurk, and Metina.

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.