Ankara confirms death of 10 soldiers in Kurdistan Region over a week

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Another Turkish soldier was killed during Ankara’s military operation against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region, state media reported on Monday, raising the death toll to 10 over the past week.  

The soldier was killed during clashes with the PKK during Ankara’s Claw-Lock operation, Anadolu Agency said.

The Turkish defense ministry on Saturday announced the death of two of its soldiers in the Region.

The PKK is an armed Kurdish group fighting for increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. Ankara considers it a terrorist organization and a threat to its national security. Turkish forces regularly pursue the PKK within the Kurdistan Region’s borders.

Turkey has launched a series of operations against the PKK in recent years, with the most recent beginning on April 18. Dubbed Claw-Lock, the new operation is aimed at PKK hideouts in Duhok’s Metina, Zap, Avashin, and Basyan areas.

The PKK says that over 500 Turkish soldiers have been “punished” since the start of the incursion, but Ankara has acknowledged the death of 22 of its soldiers in the Kurdistan Region since April, according to statements published by the defense ministry. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said over 100 PKK fighters were “neutralized” in the Kurdistan Region. Ankara often uses the term “neutralize” to refer to combatants killed or injured on the battlefield.

However, both the PKK and Ankara often release exaggerated death tolls of the other side.

Turkey has come under criticism from Baghdad, Erbil, Tehran, and the wider international community for violating Iraqi sovereignty, but Ankara continues to establish increasing numbers of bases and outposts in the mountains of Erbil and Duhok provinces.

Last week, Erdogan said that Ankara would soon launch a new military operation targeting northern Syria to complete its 30 kilometers deep “safe zone” along its southern border.