Turkish, UK interior minister speak via videolink

ANKARA

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu spoke by videoconference Thursday with his UK counterpart.

Home Secretary Priti Patel expressed her condolences over the killing of innocent people by the PKK terrorist organization, Soylu said on Twitter.

During their meeting, the financing of terrorism, fight against terrorism and immigration issues were also discussed, he added.

Patel also mentioned their meeting on Twitter.

"We discussed our close cooperation and joint work on fighting terrorism, illicit finance, and our shared interest in tackling organized immigration crime," she said.

On Feb. 14, Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced that 13 bodies had been found during Turkey's anti-terror operation in Gara, northern Iraq.

It later emerged that 12 of them were Turkish nationals and the 13th was from Iraq.

The PKK massacre raised a public outcry in Turkey as well as international condemnation.

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 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.