121 PKK terrorists neutralized in Turkey's northern Iraq operations: Minister

ANKARA

Turkish forces have neutralized 121 PKK terrorists during ongoing operations in northern Iraq, Turkey’s national defense minister said on Thursday.

Turkish forces continue to destroy lairs of the terrorists, Hulusi Akar told reporters in the Turkish parliament.

“We will go wherever the PKK terrorists are (hiding). We will protect our nation from the pain of terrorism,” the minister said, referring to a possible operation in the Qandil mountains, which are located near Turkey’s border with Iraq and are known to be used as a hideout by the PKK terror group.

“We all can see that the lights of Qandil are now dimming and going out. Their (the PKK’s) end is coming,” he added.

Akar also spoke about Turkey’s efforts to resolve issues with Greece, saying Ankara will continue to proceed “in accordance with international law and with respect to good neighborly relations.”

“We will have a meeting with our Greek counterparts next week within the framework of confidence-building measures,” he said.

Turkish authorities use the word “neutralized” in statements to imply the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

Turkey launched Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim last month in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions in northern Iraq.

The separatist terrorist group PKK often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey’s southern border, to hide out and plot terror attacks in Turkey.

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