Turkey carried out an air operation hitting targets in the Qandil and Asos regions of northern Iraq early on Friday to eliminate terrorists, said the country's National Defense Ministry.

The operation was carried out to 'neutralize the PKK/KCK-PYD/YPG and other terrorist elements, to eliminate the terrorist attacks against our people and security forces from northern Iraq, to ensure border security and to destroy terrorism at its source,' the ministry said in a statement.

'In line with our self-defense rights arising from Article 51 of the UN Charter, an air operation was carried out on Sept.

1 at 0030 local time (2130GMT) on the regions in Qandil and Asos in northern Iraq that were used as so-called bases by terrorists,' it added.

A total of 16 cave mouths, four shelters, and two material warehouses used by terrorists were destroyed.

'Many terrorists were neutralized and a heavy blow was dealt to the presence of the terrorist organization in the region,' the ministry added.

Turkey will resolutely continue to fight against terrorists that threaten the country's security and the nation, it added.

Ahead of the operation, the ministry said utmost attention and sensitivity was paid to the safety of the life and property of the civilian population and the protection of historical, religious and cultural assets, and the environment.

Turkey launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to target the PKK group’s hideouts in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq, located near the Turkish border