Turkish military says 93 PKK terrorists killed

By Hamdi Celikbas

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish military said early Monday that as many as 93 PKK terrorists were killed over the past 11 days in counter-terrorism operations in eastern Turkey.

Turkish General Staff said in a statement that the operations were conducted in provinces of Sirnak, Hakkari, Diyarbakir, Erzurum, Ardahan, Bingol, Mus and Hatay between May 11 and 21.

The statement said 71 terrorist hideouts were also destroyed.

Army seized equipment including 313 infantry rifles, 12 anti-aircraft guns, 4 sniper rifles, 5 rocket launchers, 597 hand grenades and 2,300 kilograms of ammonium nitrate as well as 30 kilograms explosives, it said.

More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.

Turkish army said 8,755 people were also detained for trying to cross the Turkish border illegally.

Seven Turkish soldiers were martyred and 27 others were injured in the operations, the statement read.