UPDATE - Turkiye 'neutralizes' 13 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

UPDATES WITH DEFENSE MINISTRY STATEMENT, CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE

By Beyza Binnur Donmez and Baris Gundogan

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish security forces "neutralized" at least 13 PKK terrorists in two separate engagements in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

In the first incident, five PKK terrorists were “neutralized" in the Operation Pence-Kaplan zone, the ministry said on Twitter.

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

In the second incident, eight others were “neutralized" in the Avasin-Basyan region.

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

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

Operations Pence-Kaplan and Pence-Kartal started in June 2020 in the Sinjar, Qandil, Haftanin, and Zap regions, while the Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim operations were launched last April in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions.

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