931 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq neutralised during Operation Claw-Lock

Turkish security forces involved in the country's counterterrorism efforts under Operation Claw-Lock have so far neutralised 931 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, Türkiye's National Defense Ministry has reported.

In total, 1,000 terrorists have been neutralised this year, including 47 of them over the last week, ministry spokesperson Brigadier Admiral Zeki Akturk said on Thursday.

He added that two more PKK terrorists in northern Iraq had surrendered to Turkish authorities at the Habur border post last week.

Akturk stated that military forces also discovered a cave used by terrorists to stash a large number of arms and ammunition in the Operation Claw-Lock zone in northern Iraq.

“So far, 931 terrorists have been neutralised in Operation Claw-Lock, a total of 1,970 weapons of various calibres and 837,630 rounds of ammunition have been seized,” he said.

Akturk added that 2,741 mines or improvised explosive devices had been detected and destroyed, while 1,021 caves or bunkers were "rendered unusable."

“The number of individuals apprehended while attempting to cross our borders illegally since January 1, 2024, has risen to 3,981, and the number of individuals prevented from crossing the border has reached 54,117,” he said.

Over 40,000 people killed

Turkish authorities use the term “neutralise” to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

The PKK is known for using northern Iraq, near the Turkish border, as a hideout to plot terror attacks on Türkiye.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to target the PKK terror organisation's hideouts in Iraq's northern Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border.

In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.