Turkiye “neutralizes” 5 PKK militants in northern Kurdistan

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced that it “neutralized” five PKK militants in northern Iraqi Kurdistan.

An airstrike targeted the group’s positions in the Gara area of Duhok province.

Turkish authorities use the term “neutralize” to describe individuals who have been killed, captured, or surrendered.

Kahraman Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerimiz, Irak’ın kuzeyindeki terör inlerini yerle bir etmeye devam ediyor.Irak'ın kuzeyindeki Gara bölgesinde tespit edilen 5 PKK’lı terörist hava harekâtıyla etkisiz hâle getirildi.Terör hedeflerini etkili şekilde vurmaya devam edeceğiz.… pic.twitter.com/IvbPlD1LCn

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) February 22, 2025

On Friday, Turkish forces neutralized nine PKK militants in the Operation Claw-Lock region. Launched in April 2022, Operation Claw-Lock (Pençe-Kılıt) targets PKK strongholds in northern Kurdistan, including the Metina (Matin Mountain), Gara, and Hakurk regions—areas from which the group has launched attacks into Turkiye.

According to Turkish data, the PKK has been responsible for approximately 40,000 deaths—of both civilians and military personnel—since the group began its operations in the 1980s.

Notably, the PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union.