Turkish fighter jets have started hitting the hideouts of terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria.
Türkiye has kicked off a major anti-terror operation in northern Iraq and Syria. Operation has been launched a week after PKK/YPG terrorists carried out a deadly bombing in Istanbul, which killed six people and wounded more than 80.
Turkish Defence Ministry said, “It’s payback time! The scoundrels are taken to account for their heinous attacks.”
“In line with our self-defence rights arising from Article 51 of the United Nations Charter,” the ministry said, the Claw Sword Air Operation is being conducted in the areas which are being used as a base by terrorists.”
In northern Iraq, Turkish security forces have been conducting operation Claw Lock, targeting PKK hideouts in the Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan areas.
Turkish jets targeted Syria’s Azaz, Tel Rifaat, Tel Abyad and Ayan al Arab areas, where PKK/YPG maintains terror hideouts.
The attacks are outcome of arrest of the chief suspect of the Istiklal Avenue attack _ Alham Albashir — a Syrian woman. She has confessed to working for PKK/YPG and also admitted to planting the bomb at Istiklal Street, a famous commercial hub in Istanbul.
The Istanbul court has remanded 17 suspects in pre-trial detention on charges of “destroying national unity” and “deliberate killing”.
Albashir said she joined the terror group because of her boyfriend’s influence and maintained her ties to the group after she broke up with him, Anadolu Agency reported.
The bomb blast in Istanbul was the deadliest in five years and evoked memories of a wave of nationwide bombings from 2015 to 2017 carried out by PKK and Daesh terror groups.
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