Turkey Launches   Military Operation against the "PKK" in Northern Iraq

On Monday, Turkey launched a military operation in northern Iraq.

"Our armed forces started Operation "Claw of the Lock" in order to prevent terrorist attacks on our people and our security forces from northern Iraq, and to ensure the security of our borders," Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar was quoted by the Turkish Anadolu Agency as saying.

Today, the Turkish Ministry of Defense said that warplanes, helicopters, and a Turkish drone bombed targets of Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, in an air and ground operation targeting facilities ranging from camps and ammunition stores.

The attack is part of Turkey's ongoing campaign in Iraq and Syria against militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), both of which Ankara considers terrorist groups.

In addition to the air operation, commandos and special forces also participated from the ground and the air.