Türkiye committed to anti-terror operations: Turkish defence minister

More than 2,150 PKK terrorists have been “neutralised” since January 1, Turkish National Defence Minister Yasar Guler said.

“The total number of terrorists neutralised since the beginning of the year has reached 2,156,” Guler told Turkish pilots who conducted airstrikes Saturday in northern Iraq and Syria to eliminate terrorists.

“No treacherous member of any terrorist organisation can escape the grasp of our heroic soldiers,” said Guler on Sunday.

His remarks came after 12 Turkish soldiers were killed and six were injured by PKK terrorists in northern Iraq.

Following the attack by PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, Türkiye reaffirmed its determination to fight and eliminate terrorism at its source.

“The operations will continue with an unyielding offensive approach until the bloody terrorists disappear from this geography, regardless of whoever supports them, amidst escalating violence and pressure,” stressed Guler.

Defence chief's visit to Iraqi border

Amid ongoing anti-terror operations, Türkiye's minister of national defence paid a visit to the country's southern border with Iraq.

“Throughout the night, National Defence Minister Yasar Guler, who led operations from the Air Force Operations Center, went to the Iraqi border with the first light of the morning,” the ministry said on X, adding that Guler was accompanied by the military top brass.

PKK terrorists often hide in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye. It also has a Syrian branch, known as the YPG.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock last year in April to target the PKK terror group’s hideouts in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq, located near the Turkish border.

The operations in northern Iraq and Syria

Turkish security forces have “neutralised” 16 terrorists in northern Iraq, the National Defence Ministry has said on Saturday, after 12 Turkish soldiers were killed in two days of terrorist attacks.

The ministry added that an air operation was carried out at 1900 GMT (22:00 local time) on terrorist targets in northern Iraq and Syria, and a total of 29 targets including caves, shelters and warehouses used by terrorists were destroyed.

The terrorists were “neutralised” in the Claw-Lock Operation region, a ministry statement on Saturday said, implying that the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

The terrorists' affiliation was not specified, but the PKK terror group has been known to be active in the region. PKK terrorists often hide out across the border in northern Iraq to plot terror attacks in Türkiye.

The targets were detected to have been containing terrorists responsible for the attacks, including some senior members, and many terrorists were neutralised, it added.

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

In its more than 35-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.