A spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said at least 31 terrorists affiliated with the PKK were eliminated in counterterrorism operations in Iraq and Syria over the past week. A total of 408 terrorists have been eliminated since Jan. 1, 2025, the ministry spokesperson Zeki Aktürk told reporters at a briefing in the capital Ankara on Thursday.
“In line with our dynamic and proactive defense and security strategy, 31 terrorists were (eliminated) in operations against terrorism in northern Iraq and Syria in the past week, and a total of 408 terrorists have been (eliminated) since Jan. 1. Additionally, a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and supplies were seized from caves located in the Claw-Lock Operation zone,” Aktürk said.
Since Turkish operations have driven its domestic presence to near extinction, the PKK has moved a large chunk of its operations to northern Iraq, including a stronghold in the Qandil Mountains, located roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of the Turkish border in Irbil. Türkiye has, over the past 25 years, operated several dozen military bases in northern Iraq in its war against the PKK and has been conducting airstrikes as part of “Claw” operations since 2022 to demolish terrorist lairs and prevent the formation of a terrorist corridor along its borders.
“As a result of our effective and determined operations, five PKK terrorists who had fled from their hideouts have surrendered to our border outposts. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will continue its operations and search-and-rescue activities in the region without interruption to ensure the security and peace of our country and nation,” he said.
Aktürk stated that due to intense, dynamic and multifaceted measures taken along the borders to ensure security, 106 individuals attempting to cross illegally were apprehended in the past week. He added that three of the detained individuals were members of terrorist groups. In total, 1,573 individuals were stopped from crossing the border. Since Jan. 1, the number of people apprehended while attempting illegal border crossings has reached 720, while 9,754 individuals have been blocked from crossing.
Although counterterrorism operations within Türkiye and beyond borders prevailed, Türkiye also sought an alternative solution to the issue of terrorism. Devlet Bahçeli, leader of government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) launched last year the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative. The initiative involves an expected call by Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the terrorist group to lay down arms. The initiative is expected to work unilaterally with the state not backing down on its condition that the PKK should lay down arms first before drafting a possible road map on what will happen next, according to the media reports. Authorities also rule out any negotiation with the terrorist group, which has claimed thousands of lives across the country since the 1980s. Both Bahçeli and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, primary supporters of the initiative, have ruled out any negotiation or compromise.
Separately, Defense Ministry sources spoke about reports regarding the potential involvement of the terrorist group’s Syria wing YPG in the newly established Syrian army.
“We are closely monitoring developments in Syria. As we have stated before, (the YPG) must lay down its arms, its leaders and foreign members must leave Syria, and armed groups must join the national army under the Ministry of Defense as an equal part, without forming a separate structure within the army,” the sources said. “It is important to approach the reports in the press with caution and to focus on the implementation. Türkiye’s stance on Syria’s reconstruction and its efforts to establish stability and peace are clear,” the sources added.
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