Turkey neutralizes 11 more PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) – A total of 11 more PKK terrorists have been neutralized in Turkey’s cross-border anti-terror operations in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

Turkish commandos and ground fire support vehicles neutralized 10 terrorists in the Operation Pence-Simsek zone and one in the Pence-Yildirim region, the ministry said on Twitter.

Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Turkey launched Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim on April 23 in northern Iraq’s Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions near its borders.

The PKK terror group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to plot terror attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.