Turkish soldier killed in northern Iraq terror attack

ANKARA

A Turkish soldier was killed in a terror attack in northern Iraq when an improvised explosive device planted by terrorists went off, Turkey's National Defense Ministry said on Oct. 28.

The attack occurred in the Operation Pençe-Yıldırım zone on Thursday and killed Turkish soldier Harun Çalışkan, the ministry said in a statement.

It extended its condolences to Çalışkan's family and the Turkish nation.

The PKK terror group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to plot terror attacks in Turkey.

The Pençe operations are a series of offensives Turkey has carried out since 2019 against terrorist organizations in northern Iraq, particularly the PKK.

Operations Pençe-Kaplan and Pençe-Kartal were initiated in June last year, while Pence-Şimşek and Pençe-Yıldırım were launched this April in Iraq's Metina and Avaşin-Basyan regions.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK - listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU - has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is PKK's Syrian offshoot.