Turkish jets kill 11 PKK terrorists in Iraq's Qandil

ANKARA

At least 11 PKK terrorists were killed in airstrikes carried out by Turkish jets in northern Iraq's Qandil Mountains on Tuesday, the Turkish military announced Sunday.

In a statement, the Turkish Armed Forces said the airstrikes took place in northern Iraq's Qandil Mountains on Tuesday.

The army forces launched the operation immediately after intelligence was received. The airstrikes also destroyed 16 targets including shelters, hiding places and caves, it added.

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.

Since that month, PKK attacks have left 793 security personnel martyred and 314 civilians, including women and children, dead. Over 4,000 security personnel and over 2,000 civilians have been injured.

Also, more than 10,000 PKK terrorists have been killed or apprehended in anti-terror operations. Around 5,500 weapons, 652,000 rounds of ammunition, over 142 tons of explosives, and 15,000 bombs have been seized.

Reporting by Yesim Sert Karaaslan:Writing by Ahmet Sait Akcay