Security

Turkish Defense Ministry announces killing one Turkish soldier by PKK gunfire

According to Kurdistan 24 reporter, there were clashes between the Turkish army and PKK fighters in several villages in the Amedi district of Dohuk province on Friday.

Dler S. Mohammed 2022/08/06 12:13

Ceremony farewell to the body of a Turkish soldier who was killed by the PKK. (Photo: AFP)

Middle East Turkey PKK Operation Claw-Lock Iraq Syria

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The Turkish Defense Ministry announced that a Turkish infantry soldier was killed in the area of Operation Claw-Lock as a result of gunfire from Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants.

“Yesterday, [Friday] an infantry soldier, named Rashad Ergin, was wounded when PKK terrorists opened fire on a Turkish army base in the area of Operation Claw-Lock,” The Turkish Defense Ministry announced in a statement on Saturday.

The statement revealed that despite all efforts, Ergin's life could not be saved, and he died.

“We ask God's forgiveness for this tragic incident and extend our condolences to the family, the army, and the people of Turkey,” said the statement.

The Turkish Defense Ministry did not disclose where the soldier was killed. However, according to Kurdistan 24 reporter, there were clashes between the Turkish army and PKK fighters in several villages in the Amedi district of Dohuk province on Friday.

The Turkish National Intelligence Organization, MIT, claimed in late July that it assassinated a top female member of the PKK in the Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani province. “An MIT hit squad killed Hatice Hezer in Sulaimani,” Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency reported without elaborating on the assassination date.

Also, in late July, the Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency reported that Nusret Tebis, code-named “Rustem,” was killed in Hasakah by an MIT operation. Rustem allegedly joined the PKK in 1995 in Siirt and had reportedly fled Turkey in 2008 after a bomb attack in Istanbul.

In April, the Turkish army started a land and air operation against PKK bases and headquarters in the Kurdistan Region's Zap, Matin, and Avashin areas.

Turkey has continued targeting the PKK’s local affiliates in Iraq and Syria during this operation. Civilians have also been injured and killed in these attacks.

On July 20, a Turkish artillery attack on a tourist resort in the Kurdistan Region’s Zakho killed nine civilians.