41 Turkish soldiers were killed in northern Iraq, PKK says
Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) announced the killing of dozens of Turkish soldiers in the clashes in several regions in northern Iraq.
"The operations of our forces continue to confront the occupation attacks (of Turkey) in the Zab and Avasin regions..the Turkish soldiers were shocked. They did not expect this resistance." The PKK's Military wing (HPG) stated.
HPG denied the news circulated on Turkish media about “the heavy losses of PKK members.” Affirming that “our raids continue and our warplanes keep flying without stopping."
"Five Guerilla fighters and at least 41 Turkish soldiers were killed, and five other soldiers were wounded; in addition, PKK downed two drones in the past 24 hours in the Avasin area," HPG added.
Earlier, the Turkish Defense Minister launched an action called "Operation Claw Lock" to "prevent terror attacks" and ensure border security following an assessment that the PKK was planning a large-scale attack.
Turkey regularly launches air strikes into northern Iraq, a region where it has repeatedly sent commandos to support its offensives.
The PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which in the past was mainly focused on southeast Turkey.
PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
The Iraqi Presidency said that the Turkish military operation on the Iraqi borders in the Kurdistan Region violates Iraqi sovereignty.
"We follow up the Turkish military operations on the Iraqi borders in the Kurdistan Region with great concern. The frequent operations without coordination with the Iraqi federal is unacceptable." the spokesperson for the Presidency said in a statement.
"Iraqi sovereignty must be respected."
The official statement stressed that Iraq rejects using its land as a field of conflict with others, threatening its security and internal stability.
In turn, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the military operation.
"The Iraqi Government rejects, and strongly condemns, the military operations carried out by the Turkish forces by bombing Iraqi lands in the Matina, Zab, Avasin-Basyan areas in northern Iraq." The Ministry's spokesperson said.
"Iraq considers this act a violation of its sovereignty and international laws; It also violates the principle of neighborliness." He added.
"Iraq shall not be headquarters or corridor to attack any of the neighboring countries, and it also refuses to be an arena for conflicts for external parties." He concluded.
