"Being special forces is hard. Motherland and love for people in the heart, a 40-kilogram load [88 pounds] on the back. Our special force heroes cross the border yesterday to join Operation Claw-Tiger," the ministry said on Twitter.
The post has a video attached that shows the Turkish soldier's preparatory training. The ministry did not specify the number of newly deployed troops.
Zordur #Komando olmak...
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) June 21, 2020
Gönlünde vatan ve millet aşkı,
sırtında 40 kg’lık yük...
Kahraman Komandolarımız, dün akşam 40 kg’lık çantalarının hazırlıklarını yaparak #PençeKaplan Operasyonu’na katılmak üzere sınır ötesine geçti. 🇹🇷 #MSB #TSK pic.twitter.com/IgMt6Mijdm
Turkey launched the operation in northern Iran this past Monday to fight the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the Kurdish People's Protection Units, referred jointly as PKK/YPG and designated as terrorists by Ankara. It began with air raids which, according to the defence ministry, destroyed 81 PKK/YPG targets. On Tuesday, the land part of the operation began involving artillery and special forces. The operation comes on the heels of more than 10 years of raids and offensives conducted by Ankara against Kurdish militia in Iraq's north in response to their attacks on Turkish forces and civilians in the borderline areas.
The Iraqi government condemned the invasion of the Turkish air force and described it as a violation of the country's sovereignty.
