File photo
The Turkish military neutralized 15 Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists in airstrikes carried out on Nov. 9 in the Zap, Gara and Avashin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) said in a statement on Saturday.
Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.
The statement said Turkish jets also destroyed shelters and weapon emplacements.
The Zap area in northern Iraq is a stronghold for the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey as well as the U.S. and the EU. The terrorist group has been trying to create a foothold in the north eastern Iraqi region of Sinjar since the area was cleared of the Daesh terror organization in late 2014.
In its terror campaign against Turkey, which has lasted for more than three decades, over 40,000 people have been killed, including women and children.
Security forces "neutralized" four so-called senior figures of the PKK terror organization on Nov. 1-8 across southeastern Turkey, according to Interior Ministry sources.Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.Turkey divides wanted terrorists into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and grey.PKK-linked suspects arrested on Turkish-Greek borderBedirhan Abo in the "red category", Muslim Firtina in the "green category", Selim Demiroglu in the "orange category" and Ilyas Karakoc in the "grey category" were among those neutralized with a total bounty of $5.9 million, according to ministry sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.Amid increasing pressure on the terror group, security forces neutralized 113 terrorists last month -- including Yusuf Tunc who was wanted in the ministry’s “grey category” -- with operations ongoing in Turkey’s eastern and southeastern regions as well as across the border in neighboring Iraq.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 nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.
Turkey crosses off 4 wanted senior PKK terrorists
Four PKK-linked terror suspects were arrested on the Turkey-Greece border on Thursday, according to Turkish security sources.The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said the suspects were arrested in the first-degree forbidden military area in Turkey's western Edirne province, while they were trying to cross into Greece through illegal means.The suspects have criminal records, the sources added.The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, it has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children.US policy on YPG/PKK still shows no changeTurkey's ruling party blasts US 'hypocrisy' on PYD‘PKK terrorists control 80 pct of drug trade in Europe’
PKK-linked suspects arrested on Turkish-Greek border
Seven soldiers were martyred and 25 others injured following an accidental explosion of defective ammunition in Turkey’s southeastern Hakkari province, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday.“Seven of our children were martyred and 25 were injured as of now due to the blast in a munitions depot in Hakkari. May God have mercy on our martyrs, and we wish our injured a quick recovery.”The injured are being treated at a hospital while rescue workers are trying to reach seven missing soldiers, the National Defense ministry reported earlier.Defective ammo blast in SE Turkey injures 25 soldiersSpeaking at an event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the demise of the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Erdoğan slammed the U.S. for putting a bounty on key Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists, while at the same time cooperating with the terror group.“We know very well how those who placed bounties on the heads of Qandil’s ringleaders are working with them behind the scenes. While patrolling together arm in arm with members of the same group in Syria, they target their leaders in Iraq. They think they’re fooling us.”On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department put a bounty on three key PKK terrorists, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara announced. Under the Rewards for Justice program, people who give information on the identification or location of PKK terrorists Murat Karayilan, Cemil Bayik, and Duran Kalkan are eligible for rewards of $3-5 million.Video: Defective ammo blast in SE Turkey injures 25 soldiersThe announcement followed U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer’s official visit to the capital Ankara.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children.'Terror spots' destroyed in IraqTurkish army keeps destroying terror spots one by one in northern Iraq, Erdoğan also said in his speech.Airstrikes by Turkish forces "neutralized" 15 terrorists in Gara, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq on Saturday.Turkish army neutralizes 15 PKK terrorists in northern IraqTurkey’s centenary vision“Our 2023 goals are not only restricted to the economy, but we’re also determined to become one of the world’s most advanced countries in matters of democracy,” President Erdoğan said.Turkey’s 2023 Vision sets specific targets for improvements in the areas of economic activity, energy, healthcare, education, and transport.
Erdoğan: Seven Turkish soldiers martyred in SE