Turkish military "neutralizes" seven PKK militants in northern Iraq, Syria

Shafaq News/ The Turkish Ministry of Defense on Sunday said that seven militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in separate operations in northern Iraq and Syria.

In a statement, the ministry said that four PKK members were "neutralized" in the Operation Claw-Lock zone in northern Iraq.

The Turkish authorities use the term "neutralized" to imply that the person in interest has been killed or captured.

The statement added that three more PKK militants were neutralized in the Euphrates Shield and Peace Spring operation zones in northern Syria.

Turkiye has been carrying out cross-border operations against the PKK in Iraq and Syria for several years. The group is considered a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union. Following talks with Turkish officials, Iraq flagged the PKK as a "banned" group. The PKK has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 40,000 people.