Turkish forces 'neutralize' 64 PKK terrorists in retaliatory ops

ANKARA

Turkish forces have neutralized 64 terrorists in retaliation operations in the aftermath of the recent deadly attacks by the PKK in northern Iraq, according to a statement released by the Defense Ministry.

The attacks, which claimed the lives of nine Turkish soldiers, prompted a swift response from the Turkish military. The ministry disclosed that 16 terrorists were neutralized in northern Syria, while 48 were targeted and eliminated in northern Iraq.

The term "neutralize" is frequently used by the Turkish military and officials to denote that the terrorists in question have either surrendered, been killed or captured during operations.

In addition, the ministry revealed that 25 more PKK targets have been added to the 29 targets previously hit. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and the EU.

A significant development occurred in Iraq's Sulaymaniyah city, where the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) neutralized Hasan Seburi, a PKK member responsible for conducting intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and surveillance activities against Türkiye.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced ongoing operations against the PKK in the Turkish province of Şırnak, bordering both Iraq and Syria. The operations, which involved 37 gendarmerie teams comprising 518 men, spanned Cudi Mountain, Gabar Mountain, Beytüşşebap district and the Bestler-Dereler areas of the city.

Yerlikaya further reported that the owners of 126 social media accounts, responsible for making "provocative" posts about the Turkish soldiers who lost their lives, have been identified. Among the suspects who "praised and propagated the PKK and spread misleading information," 104 are from abroad, leading to the initiation of judicial proceedings against them.

Police have already arrested 14 of the 22 suspects identified in Türkiye, with ongoing investigations into the remaining eight.

In a ceremony in Şırnak attended by Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, the bodies of the nine soldiers killed in clashes with the PKK were sent to their respective hometowns.

The fallen soldiers include infantry first lieutenant Gökhan Delen (32), whose body was sent to Aksaray, infantry specialist sergeants Ahmet Köroğlu (30) to Giresun, Serkan Sayin (27) to Adıyaman and Hakan Gün (28) to Gaziantep.

The bodies of infantry contract soldiers Kemal Batur (23) were sent to Niğde, Müslüm Özdemir (23) and Emrullah Gülmez (22) to Kahramanmaraş for burial.

Private contract engineers Muhammed Tunahan Evcin (27) and Murat Atar (22) were laid to rest in Eskişehir and Ordu, respectively.