This handout picture taken and released on December 8, 2022 by the Press office of the Turkish Ministry of National Defence shows Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar speaking during a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart at Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence in Ankara.
(PHOTO / HANDOUT / AFP)
ANKARA – A total of 21 "terrorists" were killed by Turkish troops over the past four days in northern Syria and Iraq, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday.
Three of the "terrorists" were killed in Iraq's Zap region, semi-official Anadolu Agency quoted Akar as saying during an event in the Turkish central province of Kayseri.
The fight against "terrorists" will not end until the security of Türkiye's borders and the nation is ensured, Akar said
Calling the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) a "tool in the hands of imperialists" to hinder Türkiye's development, Akar said that the Turkish government is determined to eliminate the PKK.
The fight against "terrorists" will not end until the security of Türkiye's borders and the nation is ensured, he said.
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The PKK has been involved in armed clashes with Turkish forces for more than three decades and is designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union.