Operations Claw-Lightning and Thunderbolt

Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt (Turkish: Pençe-Şimşek ve Pençe-Yıldırım Operasyonları) were Turkish Armed Forces cross border military operations in northern Iraq. The operations took place in the Metina, Zap and Avashin-Basyan regions against Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets, as part of the ongoing Kurdish–Turkish conflict.

Operations Claw-Lightning and Thunderbolt
Part of the Kurdish–Turkish conflict
Date23 April 2021 – 17 April 2022
(11 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
Location
Metina, Zap and Avashin Basyan regions, Duhok and Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Belligerents

 Turkey

Kurdistan Region Kurdistan Region (from 6 June 2021)		 Kurdistan Workers' Party
Commanders and leaders

Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Turkey Hasan Küçükakyüz
Turkey Ali Özmen
Turkey Hulusi Akar
Turkey Yaşar Güler

Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani

Cemîl Bayik
Murat Karayılan

Sofi Nurettin †[1]
Units involved

Turkey Turkish Armed Forces

Ministry of the Interior

KCK

Strength

Turkey Unknown personnel
50 aircraft including[2]

Kurdistan Region Unknown		 Unknown
Casualties and losses

Turkey 21 killed (per Turkey)[3]

Kurdistan Region 6 killed
7 wounded
2 captured[4][5]		 142 killed, wounded or captured (per Turkey)[6]

Operations

The operations began on the evening of 23 April 2021, with air and howitzer strikes targeting PKK positions in Northern Iraq. In the following hours of the strikes Turkish paratroopers and commandos airdropped from Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters to the points of Metina, Zap and Avashin-Basyan regions. Turkish Defense Ministry announced the "neutralization" of 142 militants and the destruction of 500 targets while announcing 12 killed of their own.[2][6][7]

Clashes between PKK and Peshmerga

On 6 June 2021, clashes occurred between Peshmerga and PKK resulting in the deaths of 5 Peshmerga. On 8 June 2021, 2 Peshmerga were kidnapped by PKK while another one was killed.[4][5]

Civilian impact

The operation is known to have impact on civilians, fleeing the operation area.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Erdogan: High-ranking PKK militant killed in Iraq operation". Associated Press. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  2. Ergan, Uğur; Altuncu, Özgür (25 April 2021). "Komandolar Kuzey Irak'ta". Hürriyet. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  3. 7 killed (23 April–3 May), 1 killed (9 May), 1 killed (14 May), 1 killed (23 May), 1 killed (6 June), 2 killed (28 July), 4 killed (16 August), 1 killed (12 September), 3 killed (9 December), total of 21 reported killed
  4. "العراق.. مقتل وإصابة 10 من قوات البيشمركة في هجوم دهوك- (تغريدة)". Al Quds. 6 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  5. "العمال-الكوردستاني" "استشهاد مقاتل في البيشمركة بيد "العمال الكوردستاني"". Kurdistan 24. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  6. "Son dakika haberi MSB: Pençe operasyonlarında 142 terörist öldürüldü". Haber Turk. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  7. "A Turkish Soldier Killed in Northern Iraq". Islam Times Indonesia. 7 June 2021.
  8. "No Return: The Civilian Impact of Turkey's Operation Claw-Lightning". Christian Peacemaker Teams - Iraqi Kurdistan. Retrieved 2021-06-05.


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