Turkiye “neutralizes” nine PKK militants in northern Iraq
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the Turkish National Defence Ministry stated that it “neutralized” nine PKK militants in the Gara and Hakurk regions in northern Iraq.
Turkish authorities use the term “neutralized” to refer to individuals who have been killed, captured, or surrendered.
Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerimiz, teröristlere nefes aldırmıyor!Irak'ın kuzeyindeki Gara ve Hakurk bölgelerinde tespit edilen 9 PKK’lı terörist etkisiz hâle getirildi.Terör hedeflerini etkili şekilde vurmaya devam edeceğiz.#MillîSavunmaBakanlığı pic.twitter.com/I1WQXrnK5g
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) February 19, 2025
Furthermore, Turkish artillery conducted heavy bombardment on positions linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) at Mount Matin, overlooking the Al-Amadiyah district north of Duhok, a security source reported, noting that “the hills around the villages of Blava and Barji endured more than ten artillery strikes,” though no details were provided regarding casualties or material damage.
On Tuesday, the ministry announced the neutralization of two PKK members in the Kurdistan Region.
The conflict between Turkiye and the PKK dates back to the early 1980s when the PKK, founded by Abdullah Öcalan, began advocating for an independent Kurdish state within Turkiye.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as the PKK engaged in guerrilla warfare, the Turkish military launched large-scale operations against PKK bases, particularly in southeastern Turkiye and northern Iraq.
