ANKARA

Turkiye has "neutralized" nine PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said on Monday.

Four terrorists were "neutralized" in Operation Claw-1 area, three in Claw-Lock and two in Claw-Tiger region, the ministry said on Twitter.

Turkiye has launched successive operations against the PKK in northern Iraq since 2020, most recently starting Operation Claw-Lock in April to target PKK hideouts in Iraq's Metina region.

That was preceded by Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle, which were launched in 2020 to root out terrorists hiding in northern Iraq and plotting cross-border attacks in Turkiye.

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

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US, and European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.