11 militants ‘neutralized’ in Turkey, northern Iraq

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

The Turkish army has “neutralized” 11 militants during operations in eastern Turkey and northern Iraq, the military said on July 23.

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

In a post on its official Twitter account, the Turkish General Staff said airstrikes were conducted between July 21 and July 22 in eastern Hakkari and Erzincan provinces and Avasin-Basyan regions in northern Iraq.

Turkish airstrikes in these regions generally target outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants.

Airstrikes on PKK targets in northern Iraq have been carried out regularly since July 2015, when peace talks between the Turkish government and the PKK collapsed.

Meanwhile, one village guard was killed and three other security personnel wounded in a rocket attack launched by the PKK in Hakkari’s Şemdinli district on July 22, Demirören News Agency reported, citing a statement made by the office of the Hakkari governor.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.