Views: 8
Turkish defense announces killing 13 PKK members northern Iraq
Shafaq News/ Turkiye’s Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that 13 PKK members were killed in the Kurdistan Region. According to a statement, Turkish forces targeted the militants in the Hakurk, Kera, and Metina regions. The ministry added that the Turkish Armed Forces are continuing their efforts to destroy PKK hideouts.
A security source in Duhok informed Shafaq News that a civilian house in the village of Damka, north of Zakho, was shelled due to ongoing clashes between the Turkish army and PKK fighters.
Since the beginning of 2025, Turkish forces have neutralized more than 63 PKK militants.
The term “neutralize,” used by Turkish authorities, indicates that the PKK militants were either killed, surrendered, or captured.
Ankara’s fighting against PKK has been ongoing, with operations launched since 2016 across the border with Iraq and Syria.
In northern Syria, Ankara launched many military operations, mainly Euphrates Shield in 2016, Olive Branch in 2018, and Peace Spring in 2019, saying these operations “aim to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and facilitate the peaceful settlement of residents in the region.”