Wanted terrorist neutralized in SE Turkey

ANKARA

Turkey’s Interior Ministry on Thursday announced that one of the two neutralized terrorists in Monday's operation was on its wanted list.

The ministry said in a written statement that terrorist Ridvan Tarhan, neutralized in southeastern Siirt province’s Eruh district along with another terrorist, was in the gray category of the Interior Ministry's wanted list with a 300,000-Turkish-lira (around $53,500) bounty on his head.

The wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and gray.

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

Turkey has long been conducting operations against the PKK terror group in the region.

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 deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

*Writing by Sena Guler