UPDATE - Turkey neutralizes 11 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

UPDATES WITH MORE TERRORISTS NEUTRALIZED IN AIRSTRIKE; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Burak Dag

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish forces neutralized 11 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq on Saturday, the National Defense Ministry said.

Nine terrorists were detected and neutralized in the Operation Pence-Kaplan region, the ministry said on Twitter, sharing footage of operations carried out by Turkish forces.

Two more were neutralized in an airstrike in Iraq’s Avasin-Basyan region, according to the ministry.

Turkey’s anti-terror operations will continue without any letup, it added.

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

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq, across Turkey’s southern border, to plan terrorist attacks in Turkey.

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

Operations Pence-Kaplan and Pence-Kartal were initiated in June last year, while Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim were launched this April in Iraq’s Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions.

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.