Turkey announces success against PKK terrorists in Iraq; 'Our operations will continue'

Turkey's Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday "success" against the PKK, a terrorist organisation, whom its military started bombarding in a retaliatory strike in neighbouring Iraq and Syria for the terror attack at Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue in the Beyoglu district in November. The explosion killed six people. 

Turkish forces neutralised three members of the Kurdistan Workers Party in Iraq, its defence ministry announced in a tweet, sharing the footage of a Bayraktar attack drone releasing a bomb. It remains unclear if the same drone was used in killing the PKK terrorists. 

“Three PKK terrorists were neutralized in the Gara region in northern Iraq, our operations will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized," wrote the Turkish Defense Ministry on Twitter. 

Strike a day after Turkish soldier killed

Turkey's strike came just a day after a Turkish soldier was killed during a military operation against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. Infantry Contract Private Huseyin Korkmaz was shot at after Kurdistan Workers’ Party [PKK] opened fire on a Turkish military base involved in Operation Claw Lock. “Our condolences and patience to his grieving family, Turkish Armed Forces and our noble nation,” country's defence ministry said, sharing the update. 

Turkey has conducted numerous cross border military operations against armed Kurdish groups in northern Iraq and Syria for allegedly spreading terrorism inside Turkish territory. The fight dates back to 1984 when the PKK took up arms against the Turkish state, and since then, as many as 40,000 people have lost lives.

The two-and-a-half-year ceasefire was violated Turkish security forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated as the terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU, indulged in the decades long hostilities. 

On Dec 28, Turkish, Syrian and Russian defense ministers held trilateral talks in Moscow, the Turkish and Russian defense ministries announced in a statement on Wednesday. Ministerial level meeting between rivals Turkey and Syria was first of its since the Syrian conflict strated 11 years ago.

Turkish, Syrian and Russian intelligence chiefs were also present at the meeting, A Turkish defense ministry statement read, adding that it took place in a “positive atmosphere”. The three countries discussed “the Syrian crisis, the refugee problem and efforts for a joint struggle against terror organizations present on Syrian territory."