Turkey’s National Defence Ministry on Friday announced the first high-ranking casualty in its ongoing military operation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Cem Demirkan, died after being injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) on 4 July.
Lt Col Demirkan was reportedly wounded during a search and sweep operation in the Metina (Metîna), Zap and Avashin (Avaşîn) – Basyan regions. He was receiving treatment at Gülhane Training and Research Hospital but succumbed to his injuries on 19 July. The Ministry’s statement read, “Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Cem Demirkan died on 19 July 2024 despite all interventions, having been injured in an IED explosion on 4 July.”
The operation, named “Claw-Lock”, was launched by the Turkish Armed Forces on 17 April 2022. The army claims to target the presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) but the operation extends to areas with no PKK activity. This extension has drawn criticism and raised questions about the operation’s broader objectives.
