A Turkish soldier who was wounded during a cross-border counterterrorism operation in northern Iraq against the PKK succumbed to his injuries, the Defense Ministry said Monday.

The soldier was injured after a helicopter was landing to deliver supplies during Operation Claw-Lightning, the ministry said.

He lost his life despite doctors' best efforts, the ministry statement added.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar issued a message extending his condolences to the soldier's family.

Turkey launched Operations Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt last month in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions in northern Iraq.

Many PKK terrorist hideouts and bases are located in northern Iraq, from where they carry out attacks on Turkey.

The Turkish military regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq. Turkey has long been stressing that it will not tolerate terrorist threats posed against its national security and has called on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group. Ankara previously noted that if the expected steps were not taken, it would not shy from targeting terrorist threats.