Turkiye neutralized eight PKK militants in northern Iraq operations

Shafaq News/ Turkish forces neutralized members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) during operations in northern Iraq, the Turkish Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday.

The ministry stated that the operations took place in the areas of "Operation Claw-Lock," as well as Gara and Metin (Matin), targeting PKK positions in the mountainous regions near the Turkish border. "Eight terrorists were neutralized during the operation," the ministry said in a statement.

The term "neutralize" is commonly used by Turkish authorities to indicate that the individuals were either killed, captured, or surrendered during military operations.

Earlier today, Turkiye's Defense Ministry announced that its forces have encircled an area in northern Iraq under the control of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), intensifying its military campaign against the group.

The ministry stated on X, "Our soldiers have established a military cordon around the Zap region, controlled by the PKK," emphasizing Ankara’s determination to "eliminate the PKK at its source through swift, targeted, and continuous operations."

The Zap region has long been a focal point for Turkish military campaigns aimed at neutralizing PKK fighters, as part of Ankara’s broader strategy to secure its borders and dismantle the group’s regional strongholds.

PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US, and the EU, has been active across multiple countries in the region, including Syria, Iraq, and Iran.