Turkey neutralizes 13 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish security forces have neutralized 13 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq in the past two days, the country's National Defense Ministry said on Friday.

The ministry said on Twitter that eight terrorists were neutralized in the Pence-Yildirim and five others in the Pence-Simsek operations in Avasin-Basyan and Metina areas, respectively.

Terrorists' bunkers, shelters, weapons, ammunition, and life sustaining materials items were also destroyed, it added.

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

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

The Pence operations are a series of offensives Turkey has carried out since 2019 against terror groups 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 the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.