The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that four members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in ongoing military operations in Iraq and Syria. The operations are part of Turkey’s sustained efforts to combat the PKK, which has been in conflict with the Turkish state since the 1980s.

According to official Turkish media, two PKK fighters were "neutralized" in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, within the "Operation Claw-Lock" zone, a military campaign launched by Turkey to target PKK strongholds. Additionally, the ministry confirmed that two members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a group Turkey views as an extension of the PKK, were killed in northern Syria during operations in the "Euphrates Shield" zone.

The PKK has a presence in several countries, including Iraq, Syria, and Iran, and has engaged in guerrilla warfare against Turkey, prompting extensive military responses from Ankara, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s.

In a related development, Turkey and Iraq recently signed a landmark agreement aimed at enhancing military, security, and counter-terrorism cooperation against the PKK. The agreement, finalized on August 15 following two days of security discussions in Ankara, includes plans to establish joint coordination and training centers in Baghdad and Bashiqa.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hailed the defense deal as "historically significant," while Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein described it as "the first of its kind" between the two nations. Following the signing, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler emphasized that the agreement represents a turning point in Turkey-Iraq relations, with Ankara urging Baghdad to officially designate the PKK as a terrorist organization in the near future.