Operation Claw-Lightning / Claw-Thunderbolt
President Erdogan said Turkey aimed to rid the country's southern borders of terrorism completely as Ankara launcheed a new Operation Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt [ Operasyonu Pençe-Simsek ve Pençe-Yildirim] in northern Iraq on 23 April 2021. The operation launched in northern Iraq aimed to completely eliminate the terrorist threat along Turkey’s southern borders, the Turkish president has said.
“This operation, carried out with respect for Iraq’s territorial integrity, will contribute to the establishment of peace and security in the region,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said via video link to the Operations Claw-Thunderbolt and Claw-Lightning command center. He stressed that Turkey aims to rid its southern borders of terrorism against efforts to establish a terrorist presence there.
The separatist group PKK often used bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey’s southern border, to hide out and plot terror attacks in Turkey. There is no place for separatist terrorist groups in the future of Turkey or neighboring Iraq or Syria, said Erdogan. So far in the operation many terrorists have been neutralised and multiple shelters and caves destroyed, he added. In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
"If I am martyred dead, if veterans in this struggle with the concept, we do not recognize any strength to withstand the face of our hero Mehmetçigimiz" said President Erdogan continued his speech as follows: "Turkey deserves the struggle today as it was in every period of history, law, the smallest deviation from human values ??such as justice engages without showing. Our aim is to completely eliminate the terrorist presence that is attempted to be created in our southern borders and to eliminate the threats against our country. We are determined to eradicate terrorism and save our citizens from the scourge of terrorism completely. The successful operations of our heroic army, which has now turned directly to the center of terrorism, indicate that we are approaching this goal. "
Stating that the Turkish Armed Forces launched the Claw-Lightning and Claw-Lightning Operation against the PKK terrorist organization that nestled in the north of Iraq yesterday evening, President Erdogan said, “In the operation where shelters, shelters and caves were taken under fire from land and air, a large number of terrorists have been neutralized. "This operation, which is carried out in a way that respects the territorial integrity of our neighbor Iraq, will also contribute to the establishment of peace and tranquility in the region."
President Erdogan of Turkey, Iraq and the separatist terrorist organization in the future of Syria and the terror never underlining that it is not "in accordance with our rights under international law, in our blood, tears and destruction from the fighting until eradicate these killer herd brought nothing but our we will continue. The use of our domestic and national defense industry products at the maximum rate in the operations that our hero Mehmetçi successfully performed is another occasion of satisfaction and pride for us ”.
President Erdogan said: “I kiss each of the heroic personnel of our Armed Forces who took part in the operation on their foreheads and wish you success. He concluded his words by saying, "May God be your help and help."
Nearly 400 targets have been hit by Turkish land forces and over 60 more by air during anti-terrorism operations started in northern Iraq, Turkey’s defense minister said on 24 April 2021.
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