Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the neutralisation of four “terrorists” after they infiltrated from Iraq using paragliders.
In a statement on the X platform on Sunday, Yerlikaya detailed that an Akinci drone operated by the Turkish Land Forces tracked two flying objects crossing the border into the southeastern Şırnak province near Mount Dogon.
The minister emphasized that the terrorists were neutralized following an engagement and the capture of their paragliders.
Additionally, weapons and other materials in the possession of the terrorists were seized. Turkey uses the term “neutralise” to denote militants killed, captured, or wounded by its forces.
This operation comes in the context of Turkey’s ongoing efforts against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The Turkish military initiated “Operation Claw-Lock” against PKK strongholds in the Metina, Zap, and Avashin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq on April 17, 2022.
The PKK has been involved in separatist activities since the 1980s, which, according to Turkish data, have resulted in approximately 40,000 deaths, including civilians and military personnel.
In an effort to address the escalating regional tensions, Egypt’s Foreign Minister and Minister of Immigration and Egyptians Abroad, Badr Abdelty, has engaged in intensive diplomatic communications with key counterparts in the Middle East.
According to Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Abdel Aty held discussions with Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Foreign Minister of the UAE, and Hakan Fidan, the Foreign Minister of Turkey.
The talks centred on coordinating efforts to contain the current regional unrest and prevent the situation from spiralling out of control, which could further destabilize the region.
The ministers emphasized the importance of collaborative action to ensure that the ongoing tensions do not lead to greater instability and disorder.
