Turkish jets kill 13 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

By Ertugrul Subasi

ANKARA

At least 13 PKK terrorists were killed in airstrikes carried out by Turkish jets in northern Iraq, the military announced Sunday.

The Turkish General Staff said in a statement that 13 terrorists were "neutralized" in a security operation in the northern Iraqi regions of Qandil and Avasin-Basyan early Sunday.

Two weapon emplacements were also destroyed in the operation, the statement said.

Turkish jets have been carrying out airstrikes against PKK positions across the border in Iraq, since the group -- considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July last year.

Since then, PKK terrorist attacks martyred more than 600 security personnel and also claimed the lives of many civilians, including women and children, while more than 7,000 PKK terrorists were killed in army operations.​