Ankara - (dpa) - Turkey launched at dawn today, Monday, a military operation in northern Iraq.

The Turkish Anadolu Agency quoted Defense Minister Hulusi Akar as saying: "Our armed forces have launched Operation Claw Claw in order to prevent terrorist attacks on our people and security forces from northern Iraq, and to ensure the security of our borders."

The operation is taking place in the regions of Matina, Zab and Afshin-Basyan in northern Iraq.
Akar said, "According to the plan, the Air Force intensively targeted terrorist sites in the regions of Matina, Zab, and Afshin-Basyan, and our pilots succeeded in hitting targets such as hideouts, caves, tunnels, ammunition depots, and the so-called headquarters of the terrorist organization."

Turkey frequently launches operations targeting PKK members on Iraqi territory, and says that the organization's militants are taking the mountains of northern Iraq as their stronghold, and are active in many cities, regions and valleys, and from which they launch attacks on the Turkish interior.

It should be noted that the "PKK" is classified as a terrorist organization in Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

According to Turkish data, the organization has killed about 40,000 people during its separatist activities that have been going on for more than 30 years.