Turkish jets kill 69 PKK terrorists in N Iraq

The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) neutralized 69 terrorists nationwide in the aftermath of counterterrorism operations, according to an official statement.

In a statement released on its official website, the Turkish General Staff said the armed terrorists were killed during an air raid in Mount Qandil, Zap and the Mount Asos regions of northern Iraq.

Two weapons depots and a DShK anti-aircraft machine gun were also destroyed in the raid, the statement read.

Another wanted PKK terrorist was killed late Wednesday in a separate counter terrorism operation in southeastern Diyarbakir province’s Lice district, according to governor’s office Friday.

Veysel Demiral, who was known by his codename Brexwaden Sores, was killed while trying to flee in a minibus.

Airstrikes on PKK targets in southeast Turkey and northern Iraq, where the terror group has its main base in Qandil region near the Iranian border, have been carried out regularly since July 2015, when the PKK resumed its armed campaign against the Turkish government.

As part of the ongoing operations in the Şırnak/Central Bestler Dereler region, two handmade explosives and one mine were detected and destroyed. One Kalashnikov infantry rifle and 60 Kalashnikov shotgun shells were seized.

In Van’s Erciş, eight handmade explosives were discovered and destroyed in searches conducted by security forces. In addition to this, 36 kilograms of explosives, 30 electric fuses, 16 ignition devices and two key systems were seized.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and U.S. -- has killed more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians since the end of a fragile peace two years ago.