Turkey’s defense ministry said a soldier was killed in an attack carried out by “separatist terrorists” on a Turkish military vehicle that was leaving a base in northern Iraq.

Another solider was injured in the attack, it added.

Turkey’s operation in Iraq targets the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has bases there and which is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union.

In Syria, another Turkish soldier died after he was injured in an attack in Idlib region, taking the total military casualties to three.

The so-called “de-escalation” zone south of Turkey is the last major area of Syria still in rebel hands after a decade-long war, and parts are jointly patrolled by Turkish and Russian forces based on accords the nations struck early last year.

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