Turkish military hits PKK in northern Iraq

By Cuneyt Ates

ANKARA

Turkish airstrikes on PKK bases in northern Iraq have resulted in 24 PKK terrorists’ deaths, a military official said Monday.

Two air operations took place on Sunday in the Avasin-Basyan region and the Kani Barki region, the official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media. The official also reported the discovery of the bodies of seven PKK terrorists around Binlis Tepe in Turkey’s southeast Hakkari province.

In addition, eight PKK terrorists were killed Monday in Sirnak province, southeast Turkey, the military said in a statement. They were killed by artillery fire in Uludere, which lies on the Iraqi border.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its armed campaign in July last year and has been responsible for the deaths of around 1,100 security force members and civilians since then. More than 10,000 PKK terrorists have been killed or apprehended in the same period.