Turkish army 'neutralizes' 68 terrorists over past week

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Operations were carried out in SE Turkey and northern Iraq from Sept. 28 to Oct.4, says Turkish military

The Turkish army “neutralized” 68 PKK terrorists on Turkish soil and in northern Iraq over the past week, including two senior terrorists, the military said on Friday.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

In a weekly statement, the Turkish General Staff said that from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, the army carried out anti-terror operations in Turkey’s southeastern Sirnak, Siirt, Diyarbakir, and Agri provinces, as well as in regions of northern Iraq.

The statement said 12 terrorists were neutralized on Turkish soil, while 56 others were neutralized in northern Iraq.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.