Turkey will continue to pursue PKK terrorists, says defense minister

Shafaq News / Speaking to journalists at the Turkish Parliament, the defense minister Hulusi Akar said

“Turkish forces have neutralized (surrendered, killed or captured) 121 PKK terrorists as part of the ongoing Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt operations in northern Iraq,” Hulusi said.

He added that Turkish forces continue to destroy lairs of the terrorists. PKK “has come to its end.”

“We will go wherever the PKK terrorists are (hiding). We will protect our nation from the pain of terrorism,” the minister said, referring to a possible operation in the Qandil Mountains, which are located near Turkey’s border with Iraq and are known to be used as a hideout by the PKK terror group.

Northern Iraq is known as strongholds for PKK from which attacks are carried out on Turkey.

The Turkish military regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq. Turkey has long been stressing that it will not tolerate threats posed against its national security and has called on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eradicate the terrorist group.