Turkey's military says two PKK fighters "neutralized" to avenge slain officer

Shafaq News/ Turkey's military on Saturday said it has "neutralized" two members of the anti-Ankara Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) for their involvement in killing an army officer on Friday.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply that "the terrorists in question surrendered, were killed, or captured."

"We avenged our martyr and shall persist in our pursuit of vengeance," a press release by Ankara's defense ministy said on Saturday, boasting the successful "neutralization" of the PKK operatives allegedly involved in the killing.

The ministry accentuated the unwavering commitment of the Turkish Armed Forces to sustain their operations in the area with resolute determination.

The Turkish Armed Forces have been conducting cross-border military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Northern Iraq since the 1980s. Since 2019, Turkey has begun conducting operations codenamed Claw, including Claw Eagle and Tiger in 2020 and Claw-Lighting and Thunderbolt in 2021.

According to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, the current operation, Claw-lock, targets positions in the areas Metina, Zap, and Avashin and is carried out in cooperation with their allies.