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Turkey neutralizes 31 PKK terrorists in new N.Iraq op

26 April 2021 01:21 (UTC +04:00)

Turkish forces have neutralized 31 PKK terrorists so far in northern Iraq as part of Turkey's new anti-terror operations there, the country's defense minister said Sunday, APA reports quoting Anadolu Agency.

Hulusi Akar was commenting after he and Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) commanders inspected the 3rd Infantry Division Command in Yuksekova district of Turkey’s southeastern Hakkari province and received a briefing on the newly launched Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim.

"So far, a total of 1,132 terror targets have been hit with our land fire support vehicles. Our Air Force also achieved great success as a whole, hitting 120 targets in total. Along with these, we evaluate that the terrorists have suffered great casualties," he said.

Noting that so far, a total of 31 terrorists have been neutralized as part of the current operations in the regions, Akar said that six soldiers had been wounded.

Turkey's Defense Ministry later announced that one soldier was martyred in the Operations Pence-Simsek area.

"Our fight is against all terrorists, especially the PKK. The world should know that we do not have any problems with any ethnic group, sect or religious group and that we are not targeting them," he noted.

Underlining that Turkey only targets terrorists, he also stressed that they will continue launching anti-terror operations until the last terrorist is neutralized.

Turkey on Friday launched Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim in northern Iraq’s Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions near Turkey’s borders, Akar announced early Saturday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said later Saturday that the operation aims to completely eliminate the terrorist threat along Turkey’s southern borders.

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

The PKK terrorist group often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey’s southern border, to hide and plot terrorist 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 European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.