Turkish jets ‘neutralize’ 14 PKK terrorists in N. Iraq

By Muhammed Boztepe

ANKARA

A total of 14 terrorists were “neutralized” during an air operation on Thursday in northern Iraq, the Turkish army said on Friday.

The military generally uses the term "neutralize" to signify that the targets have been killed.

The Turkish General Staff statement also said 13 targets, namely shelters used by PKK terrorists, were destroyed in the Qandil region of northern Iraq.

In a separate statement issued on Friday, the Turkish army stated that a total of 59 PKK terrorists had been "neutralized" in three airstrikes in northern Iraq's Hakurk and Zap regions as part of counterterrorism operations on April 1-2.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years and has been responsible for the death of nearly 40,000 people.

More than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians, including a number of women and children, have been killed since July 2015 alone when the group resumed its armed campaign against the country.