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On February 14th, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar gave a press conference on the results of Turkey’s most recent operation in Northern Iraq – Claw Eagle 2.
He said that 48 PKK members were neutralized, including two senior members, in northern Iraq during Turkey’s operation that has been completed.
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said two PKK members were captured and the region was mostly cleared of the terrorist group during the “extremely special and critical” operation in the Gara region.
“The operation has been completed. Our land and air elements returned to their bases and barracks safely,” he said at the operations center on the border in southeastern Şırnak province.
He said Turkey also wanted to confirm the intelligence about Turks who were abducted by terrorists, which was not disclosed for security reasons, and to take necessary measures.
During the campaign, more than 50 terrorist targets, including ammunition depots, caves and bases in Gara, were destroyed, he said.
Meanwhile, 3 PKK members attempting to escape Gara region on paramotors have been killed by Turkey’s armed drones, the Turkish defense ministry said.
Turkey also discovered the remains of 13 Turkish citizens in a cave in the Gara region.
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“While our activities in the Operation Claw-Eagle 2 area were continuing, the remains of 13 citizens who were detained in a cave, which was taken under control following the intense clash, were found,” said Akar. “All of the terrorists in the cave that martyred our citizens were neutralized.”
Akar said three soldiers were killed and three others were injured in the land operation.
Highlighting that the operation was successfully carried out in difficult land and climatic conditions, covering a very large area, he congratulated Turkish Chief of General Staff Yaşar Güler and commanders.
David Satterfield, the United States ambassador to Turkey, has affirmed that the U.S. holds the PKK group responsible for the recent cave massacre in northern Iraq, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense (MSB) said in a statement.
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