Istanbul Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced the killing of 3,858 militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Syria, Iraq and inside the country since the beginning of this year.
Akar said in a speech during his participation today, Tuesday, in a session of the Turkish Parliament to discuss the budget of the Turkish Ministry of Defense for the year 2023: that the Turkish armed forces managed to kill 36,854 terrorists since July 24, 2015.
He added that the Turkish forces are struggling against all terrorist organizations that threaten the security and safety of citizens and the territorial integrity of Turkey and the integrity of its borders.
He pointed out that the “Sword of the Claw” operation, which began at dawn last Sunday against the sites of the “PKK/ YPG” in northern Iraq and Syria, is the most extensive and comprehensive in recent times, stressing that the Turkish fighters participating in the operation only to target militants sites in the areas they bombed.
He stressed that all military operations carried out by Turkey outside its borders are in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, which grants countries the right to defend themselves, stressing that Turkey respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of neighboring countries, and targets only armed organizations that threaten Turkey’s security and safety.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency