Turkish soldiers were killed in northern Iraq

Kurdistan Workers' Party militants attacked a Turkish military base in northern Iraq, killing 5 Turkish soldiers and wounding 8 others. Also, 12 militants were neutralized. Turkey responded

Five servicemen of the Turkish Armed Forces were killed in a clash with PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party; declared a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union) militants in northern Iraq. This is stated in the statement of the Ministry of National Defense of Turkey. According to the report, 8 more soldiers were wounded.

According to reports, the militants tried to enter the territory of the military base of the Turkish Armed Forces in the area where the Penche-Kilit anti-terrorist operation is being conducted.

"On January 12, 5 of our heroic comrades were killed and 8 others were wounded, 3 of them seriously," said the Ministry of Defense of Turkey. Wounded Turkish soldiers were hospitalized.

According to preliminary information, 12 militants were neutralized during the battle.

"Operations are ongoing in the region, " the defense ministry added.

In particular, the Turkish air force struck 29 targets of the PKK organization in northern Iraq and Syria. Many militants, including leaders of criminal organizations, were killed.

The airstrikes targeted oil installations and terrorist shelters, including caves, in northern Syria, as well as in the areas of Metina, Hakurk, Gara and Qandil in northern Iraq.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that since 1984, when the PKK militants committed the first bloody crime in Turkey, 7,500 Turkish security forces and 6,800 civilians were killed by this organization.