Turkey: Top defense officials monitor anti-terror ops

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, along with high-level military officials, paid a visit on Sunday to the central Eskisehir province to monitor developments in the country's recent cross-border anti-terror operations.

Accompanied by Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler and Air Forces Commander Gen. Hasan Kucukakyuz, Akar visited the Combat Air Force Command in the province, from which the aerial activities under the operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim are conducted, the National Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

On Saturday, Akar also visited the southeastern Sirnak province and a base in northern Iraq, where he paid a visit to monitor the anti-terror operations.

He said anti-terror efforts would continue until the last terrorist is neutralized.

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

At least 44 terrorists have been neutralized so far in Turkey's recent cross-border anti-terror operations.

The PKK terror group often uses bases in northern Iraq just across Turkey's southern border to hide and 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.