ANKARA, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish forces have conducted airstrikes against the targets of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in a cross-border operation in northern Iraq, killing 17 militants, the country's Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The airstrikes were carried out in the "Operation Claw-Lock" zone in northern Iraq, said the ministry, without specifying the time frame of the airstrikes.
Turkish security forces frequently conduct cross-border operations in northern Iraq, targeting PKK hideouts and bases that they allege are used to stage attacks against Türkiye.
Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to target PKK members in Iraq's Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border.
The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades. ■