5 PKK members have been killed in an airstrike in the Avashin and Haftanin regions of northern Iraq, Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

“In Claw-Tiger Operation, which continues successfully, 5 PKK members identified in the Avashin and Haftanin regions of northern Iraq were neutralized in an airstrike campaign,” the statement said.

Turkish Defense Ministry uses the word "neutralized" in its statements instead of "killed", "captured" or "surrendered".

The Claw-Eagle and Claw-Tiger operations are ongoing Turkish Armed Forces external operations in Iraqi Kurdistan. The attacks have taken place in the Qandil Mountains, the Sinjar District, and Makhmur, against PKK’s targets. Claw-Eagle, the air campaign, began on 15 June 2020. Claw-Tiger, the ground campaign, was launched on June 17.

The ongoing conflict between Turkey and PKK has resulted in nearly forty thousand deaths since 1984 when PKK waged an insurgency against Turkish State. (ILKHA)