8 PKK neutralized in northern Iraq, southeast Turkey

ANKARA

Turkish airstrikes have "neutralized" eight PKK terrorists in northern Iraq and Turkey's southeastern Mardin province, the General Staff said Saturday.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

On Twitter, the Turkish General Staff said fighter jets had conducted airstrikes between Friday and Saturday in northern Iraq’s Sinat-Haftanin regions as well as in Omerli district of southeastern Mardin province, Turkey, which is near the Syria and Iraq border.

Turkish officials have recently suggested that Mt. Qandil region -- where the terrorist group has its headquarters -- may be the target of a future operation.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the death of some 40,000 people, including women and children.

Reporting by Baris Gundogan:Writing by Merve Aydogan