Turkish Defense announces the killing of 23 PKK militants in air strikes in northern Iraq and Syria

The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the killing of 23 PKK militants in air strikes carried out by Turkish warplanes in several areas in northern Iraq and Syria. The Turkish Defense Ministry stated in two separate statements today, Monday, that Turkish warplanes launched raids on the sites and hideouts of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in the areas of Hakurk, Gara, and Matina within the areas of the Claw Lock operations in northern Iraq, after their locations were monitored by the Turkish army units stationed there, which led to the killing of 16 of them. Among them were leaders of the organization and their positions were destroyed. It indicated in its statement that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) takes the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq as its stronghold, and is active in many cities, regions and valleys, from which it launches attacks inside Turkey. It is noteworthy that the Turkish army had carried out a large-scale military operation on April 18, 2021, and it is still continuing, called the Claw Lock, against the strongholds of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in the areas of Matina, Al-Zab, Afshin, Bazian, and the Qandil mountain range in northern Iraq. The Turkish Defense Ministry indicated in its other statement that warplanes launched raids on several sites and headquarters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in the 'Olive Branch' and 'Euphrates Shield' regions, resulting in the killing of seven militants from the Workers' Party organization and the destruction of a number of sites belonging to the party. Source: National Iraqi News Agency