3 terrorists 'neutralized' in southeastern Turkey

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak and Muhammed Nuri Erdogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces neutralized three terrorists during security operations in the country’s southeast, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

The gendarmerie and police carried out a counter-terrorism operation in the rural areas of Hakkari province and neutralized one terrorist, the ministry said in a statement.

Separately, two terrorists were also neutralized by the gendarmerie command in an air-backed operation in Sirnak province, the ministry said on Twitter.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Turkish forces have been conducting operations against the PKK terrorist organization in the region for over a long time.

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 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.