US Condoles With Turkey For Martyred Soldiers

The US conveyed its condolences Friday to Turkey for the country's recent martyred soldiers in northern Iraq.

"Saddened by the killing of Turkish soldiers by PKK terrorists. Our condolences to the families of the fallen," the US Embassy in Turkey said on Twitter.

"We stand by our #NATO ally Turkey," it added.

On Friday, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said security forces had neutralized four more PKK terrorists as part of an anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, raising the number of neutralized terrorists to 37.

The day before, three Turkish soldiers had been martyred and three others wounded in a clash with PKK terrorists amid a pre-emptive strike against elements of the terror group in the Gara region as part of the second phase of Operation Claw-Eagle.

Turkey's operations Claw-Eagle and Claw-Tiger were launched last June to ensure the safety of Turkish borders by neutralizing the threat of the PKK and other terrorist groups that often use northern Iraq to plan cross-border attacks.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people including women, children and infants. -