Turkish Troops Kill 21 ‘Terrorists’ in Northern Syria, Iraq: Defense Minister

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced on Saturday that 21 “terrorists” had been killed in northern Syria and Iraq over the past four days by Turkish troops. Akar stated that three of the “terrorists” were killed in Iraq’s Zap region, and the rest were killed in northern Syria. He called the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) a “tool in the hands of imperialists” to hinder Turkey’s development, adding that the Turkish government is determined to eliminate the PKK.

The PKK has been in armed clashes with Turkish forces for over three decades and is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.