The disintegration of the PKK terrorist group, struck hard due to the operations of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the northern Iraq region, has accelerated, Defense Ministry sources said Sunday.
Turkish security forces eliminated 455 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq since the beginning of Türkiye's counterterrorism operation Claw-Lock in April, according to the sources.
Türkiye's Operation Claw-Lock, which targets the PKK terrorist organization's hideouts in northern Iraq's Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border, continues successfully as planned, the sources said on condition of anonymity.
In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK-listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union-has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
As part of the operation that started in mid-April, 557 caves and 1,904 handmade explosives, as well as mines, were destroyed. Turkish security forces also seized several anti-tank missiles along with rocket launchers and Kalashnikov rifles.
Some 522,000 pieces of ammunition, 205 radios, 121 thermal and surveillance binoculars, and 88 tons of living materials were among the seized items as well.
Noting that seven PKK terrorists separately surrendered to Turkish security forces in northern Iraq in the past week, the sources said slanders such as "chemical weapons" were put forward by the terrorist group in an attempt to gain time and prevent collapse.
Last week, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar conducted a video conference at the operation center with the commanders of the units participating in the Operation Claw-Lock during his inspections on the border units.
"We are approaching the end, with the entire Claw-Lock Operation area about to be brought under control," Akar said. "We will clear the Zap (region) of terrorists and thus lock down all of our borders."
Turkish security forces regularly conduct counterterrorism operations in northern Iraq, a region where PKK terrorists have hideouts and bases from which to carry out attacks against Türkiye.
Türkiye has long been stressing that it will not tolerate terrorist threats against its national security and has called on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group. Ankara previously noted that it would not shy away from targeting terrorist threats if the expected steps were not taken.
