Istanbul Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced the killing of 184 leaders and militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) since the launch of Operation “Sword of the Claw” at dawn last Sunday, with ground and air support.
Akar said in a speech while he was at the Operations Center of the Land Forces Command, accompanied by Chief of Staff Yasar Guler and the commanders of the land, sea and air forces: During the “Sword of the Claw” operation, the areas of Qandil, Asos and Hakork in northern Iraq, Ain al-Arab, Manbij, Zour Maghar and Tal Rifaat Al-Jazeera and Al-Malikiyah in northern Syria were targeted.
Akar added that 89 targets, including shelters, hideouts, caves, tunnels and warehouses belonging to terrorists were destroyed in the first phase of the operation.
Akar stated that the military activities are carried out under the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that “terrorism must be destroyed at its source.”
“We will continue to do what is necessary to make the collapse of the PKK/YPG organization permanent,” the Turkish Defense Minister said.
The Turkish army had carried out a massive air attack on PKK positions in northern Syria and Iraq at dawn last Sunday, in which dozens of warplanes participated.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency