By Zehra Aydın Turapoglu

ANKARA, Turkey

Two Turkish soldiers were killed and one terrorist was neutralized in clashes with terrorists in northern Iraq, Turkey’s National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

Another soldier who was injured in clashes in the Operation Claw zone was transferred to a nearby hospital, the ministry said in a statement.

Clashes broke out during search operations carried out by the Turkish army in the Hakurk region, it said.

The Claw operations are a series of military operations that Turkey launched in 2019 against terrorist organizations in northern Iraq, particularly the PKK.

The PKK terror group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to plot terror attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz