100 senior terrorists neutralized in 2018: Turkish min.

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces ''neutralized'' 100 so-called senior terrorists in 2018, the interior minister said on Thursday.

"We carried out 87,838 operations against PKK this year. We have neutralized 1,289 terrorists in these operations," Suleyman Soylu told the parliament.

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

Soylu added that they have increased the counterterrorism operations in the rural areas 173 percent over last two years.

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 some 40,000 people, including women and children.