Turkish Airstrikes Neutralize 17 Kurdish Militants in Northern Iraq

Turkish military airstrikes in northern Iraq have resulted in the “neutralization” of 17 members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Arab News reported citing the defense ministry.

This operation, part of the ongoing Claw-Lock campaign, targets PKK militants who have been engaged in an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. The PKK is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.

The airstrikes reflect Turkey’s broader military strategy, which also includes incursions into Syria aimed at the Kurdish YPG militia, viewed by Ankara as an extension of the PKK. The conflict has intensified tensions in the region, particularly in areas like the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, where firefights frequently occur between Turkish forces and PKK fighters.