Dedicated to martyred Gendarmerie Specialist Sgt. Ali Şirin, the latest operation within the "Eren Blockade Fall-Winter" series was launched on Sunday in southeastern Diyarbakır province by the Interior Ministry.
According to a ministry statement, the operation was launched in rural parts of Lice, Bayırlı, Koçmarin and Sağlık Mahallesi to remove the PKK terrorist organization from the country's agenda.
In the operation, 3,470 kilograms (7,650 pounds) of cannabis were seized.
A total of 650 personnel participated in the operation, including teams from the Diyarbakır Provincial Gendarmerie Command, gendarmerie commando special operations, gendarmerie special operations, gendarmerie commandos and security guard teams.
Within the scope of the operation, 10,000 root cannabis plants, 415,000 root skunk plants and 3,470 kilograms of cannabis in powder and herb form were seized.
The operation deals a blow to the financing of the terrorist group's activities and rendered four shelters unusable. In addition, an improvised explosive device (IED) and many miscellaneous materials were seized.
In the statement, the Interior Ministry emphasized that the Eren Blockade Autumn-Winter operations aimed at the complete elimination of terrorism in the country continue successfully, faithfully and decisively with the support of the people.
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu announced last week that the 2022-2023 Eren Abluka Fall-Winter operations have been initiated with 1,600 personnel to eradicate the threat of terrorism within Türkiye's borders.
Türkiye launched the Eren operations last year, dedicating them to Eren Bülbül, a 15-year-old boy killed by the PKK terrorist group on Aug. 11, 2017.
Turkish security forces regularly conduct counterterrorism operations in the eastern and southeastern provinces of Türkiye, where the PKK has attempted to establish a stronghold.
Türkiye also launched Operation Claw-Lock in April to target the PKK terrorist group's hideouts in Iraq's northern Metina, Zap and Avashin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border.
It was preceded by Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle launched in 2020 to root out terrorists hiding in northern Iraq and plotting cross-border attacks in Türkiye.
In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
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.
In the last two years, the intensifying operations in northern Iraq have demolished terrorist lairs in Metina, Avashin-Basyan, Zap and Gara. After eradicating the group's influence in these regions, Türkiye also aims to clear Qandil, Sinjar and Makhmour.
The Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq are the PKK's stronghold and the group is active in many nearby cities and towns. It occupies a large number of villages in the region from where it launches attacks on Türkiye.
