Operation Claw-Lock

Operation Claw-Lock
Part of the Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978-present)
Date17 April 2022 – 4 May 2022
(2 weeks and 3 days)
Location
Metina, Zap and Avashin Basyan regions, Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Status Operation successful
Belligerents
 Turkey
Supported by:
KDP[1][2]

Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK)

Commanders and leaders

Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Turkey Atilla Gülan
Turkey Hulusi Akar

Turkey Yaşar Güler

Cemîl Bayik

Murat Karayılan
Units involved

Turkey Turkish Armed Forces

PKK

Strength

Turkey ~15,000 personnel[4]

Unknown
Casualties and losses
83 killed[6] 995 killed, wounded or captured (AA estimate)[7][8][9]
8 civilians killed and 20+ civilians injured

Operation Claw-Lock (Turkish: Pençe-Kilit Operasyonu) was a military operation of the Turkish Armed Forces in northern Iraq. The operation was taking place in the Duhok Governorate against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), as part of the ongoing Kurdish–Turkish conflict.[10]

  1. ^ Chenar Chalak (20 April 2022). "Erdogan thanks Iraqi, Kurdish authorities for 'support' of anti-PKK operation". Rudaw.
  2. ^ "Avaşin ve Zap'a işgal saldırısı: 28 işgalci cezalandırıldı, 2 helikopter darbelendi!". ANF Turkish. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Son dakika: PKK'ya 'Pençe-Kilit' operasyonu başladı! Bakan Akar: Hedeflerin tamamı ele geçirildi". Hürriyet. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "'Pençe Kilit Operasyonu'nda Zap'a 15 bine yakın profesyonel personelle inildi!'". SuperHaber. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Zap'ta PKK'ya hem Pençe hem Kilit! Etkisiz hale getirilen terörist sayısı yükseldi". Hürriyet. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  6. ^ 63 killed (17 April-17 October),[1] 9 killed (21 October-17 November),[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] 6 killed (26-27 November),[11] 2 killed (December),[12][13] 2 killed (10 July 2023),[14] total of 82 reported killed [15]
  7. ^ "MSB: Irak'ın ve Suriye'nin kuzeyi dahil son bir haftada 53 terörist etkisiz hale getirilmiştir".
  8. ^ "Bakan Akar'dan terörle mücadele mesajı". 2 December 2022.
  9. ^ TSK [@TSKGnkur] (15 December 2022). "https://t.co/eeW6ibTj3g" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 February 2023 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "Turkey launches new ground, air offensive in northern Iraq". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.