Turkish soldiers killed in clash with PKK rises to 6

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Three Turkish soldiers succumbed to injuries received in a Friday clash with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region, bringing the death toll to six, Turkey’s defense ministry said on Saturday. The PKK claimed it killed 27 Turkish troops.

The PKK carried out an attack on Turkish troops, killing three soldiers and injuring four others, the Turkish defense ministry said on Friday. Three of the wounded later died, the ministry said on X, adding that their forces “neutralized” seven members of PKK in the clash. Turkey uses the term “neutralize” to denote adversaries captured, wounded, or killed.

Firat News Agency (ANF), a media outlet linked to the PKK, said on Saturday that the PKK carried out an attack on the Turkish army in the Khakurk area of the Kurdistan Region, killing 27 Turkish soldiers and seizing the weapons of 17 others.

Turkey has recently increased its attacks on the PKK in the Kurdistan Region. On Wednesday, the defense ministry announced that it carried out airstrikes against 14 alleged positions of the PKK in mountainous areas where the group has bases.

Ankara has also intensified its targeting of Kurdish fighters in northern Syria due to their alleged ties with the PKK. On Saturday, the defense ministry announced the “neutralizing” of five members of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a PKK offshoot, in northeast Syria (Rojava). 

Kurdish civilians and rights organizations have criticized Turkey’s military campaign as civilian lives and property are frequently caught in the crossfire.