Turkey says it 'neutralises' Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, Syria

Turkey has carried out airstrikes in northern Iraq, "neutralising" 20 members of the outlawed PKK Kurdish militant group and destroying 29 targets after Turkish soldiers were killed in a clash on Friday, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday. In a statement on the X social media platform, the ministry said airstrikes were conducted in the Hakurk, Metina, Gara and Qandil regions of northern Iraq.

Turkey has carried out airstrikes in northern Iraq, "neutralising" 20 members of the outlawed PKK Kurdish militant group and destroying 29 targets after Turkish soldiers were killed in a clash on Friday, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday.

In a statement on the X social media platform, the ministry said airstrikes were conducted in the Hakurk, Metina, Gara and Qandil regions of northern Iraq. It said the targets included caves, bunkers, shelters and oil facilities. The ministry also said the operations had "neutralised" 20 militants in the region. Ankara typically uses the term "neutralised" to mean killed.

Seperately, the ministry said Turkish forces had "neutralised" nine Kurdish militants in northern Syria. The operations came after nine Turkish soldiers were

killed and four others were wounded in Friday's clash with the PKK in northern Iraq, the ministry said after the incident.

Turkish forces have been carrying out a cross-border operation called "Claw-Lock" in Iraq as part of the country's offensive against PKK militants. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984.

Turkey has also launched military incursions in Syria against the Kurdish YPG militia, regarding it as a wing of the PKK. "The infiltration attempt of a terrorist group of 12 people in northern Syria was successfully prevented," the defence ministry statement said.