5 PKK members killed in northern Iraq: Turkish Defense Ministry

“Five PKK terrorists identified in northern Iraq were neutralized by our ATAK helicopters,” the Ministry said.

Kahraman Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerimiz, Irak’ın kuzeyindeki terör inlerini yerle bir etmeye devam ediyor.

Pençe-Şimşek operasyonu kapsamında Metina’da tespit edilen 5 PKK'lı terörist ATAK helikopterlerimiz tarafından etkisiz hâle getirildi.#MSB #TSK #PençeŞimşek pic.twitter.com/0ep6p5PGcN

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) July 19, 2021

The joint Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt operations are the ongoing Turkish Armed Forces cross border operations in northern Iraq.

The operations are taking place in the Metina, Zap, and Avashin-Basyan regions against Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets.

The operations began on the evening of 23 April 2021, with air and howitzer strikes targeting PKK positions in Northern Iraq.

In the following hours of the strikes, Turkish paratroopers and commandos airdropped from Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters to the points of Metina, Zap, and Avashin-Basyan regions. (ILKHA)