Turkey 'neutralizes' 4 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey forces neutralized at least four PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, authorities said on Tuesday.

Two terrorists were neutralized in the Gara region by armed forces, while two others in the Operation Pence-Yildirim zone by commandos, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

The ministry also posted footage of the operation.

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

The Pence operations are a series of offensives Turkey has carried out since 2019 against terrorist organizations in northern Iraq, particularly the PKK.

The latest ones are the Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim operations launched this April in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions near Turkey's borders.

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