Turkey destroys 500 PKK targets in Operation Claw-Tiger

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

As part of Operation Claw-Tiger, the Turkish armed forces have destroyed more than 500 PKK targets in northern Iraq's Haftanin region.

According to the security sources on June 18, in the first 36 hours of the operation, Turkish forces hit over 500 targets of the PKK terror group in the region with F-16 jets, howitzers and multiple rockets.

Following the strikes, Turkish commandos also conducted an infiltration operation through land and air to target terrorist hideouts.

Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar addressed the commanders of the troops via video link, saying: “Operation Claw-Tiger is going very well.”

“We will continue with the same seriousness and determination and hopefully we will successfully end this operation,” Akar said.

The latest operation comes after the ministry announced the start of Operation Claw-Eagle on June 15 in northern Iraq, noting that Turkish fighter jets had destroyed caves where terrorists were taking shelter, causing the caves to collapse on them.

The operation was carried out against terrorist bases in Sinjar, Qandil, Karajak, Zap, Avaşin-Basyan and Hakurk.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

'Less than 500 terrorists left in Turkey'

Meanwhile, the number of terrorists in Turkey has fallen to less than 500 as they have no other option but to flee due to ongoing counter-terror operations and state-of-the-art military technology, the country's interior minister said on June 17. 

"There are 438 terrorists in Turkey. God willing, it will decrease to 400 and then 300 soon," Süleyman Soylu said, speaking at a ceremony held in capital Ankara.

Soylu said the resolute security forces and armed drones will eventually wipe out terror threats within Turkey.