Turkish forces ‘neutralize’ 11 terrorists in N. Iraq

Turkish jets destroyed weapon depots and PKK terrorist hideouts and also neutralized 11 terrorists in northeastern Turkey and in northern Iraq, the military said on Thursday.

Strikes on PKK targets were carried out in northern Iraq region resulting in 11 terrorists being “neutralized”, a term that usually suggests the targets have been killed.

The terrorists had been preparing to attack military outposts on the border, a statement by the Turkish General Staff said. Six of the terrorists were neutralized in Avasin-Basyan region of northern Iraq and five other terrorists were neutralized in the outskirts of Refahiye district in eastern Erzincan province.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. In over 30 years of violence against Turkey, more than 40,000 people have been killed.

The group uses northern Iraq’s mountainous border region to launch attacks on Turkey and has its main base at Mt. Qandil, near the Iraq-Iran border.