Turkish jets kill 19 PKK militants in northern Iraq

ANKARA

At least 19 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants were killed in air strikes carried out by Turkish jets in northern Iraq, the military announced on Dec. 10.

The Turkish General Staff said in a statement that 19 militants had been "neutralized" in a security operation in the Gara region of northern Iraq. 

“Neutralized” is a term used by the military and state officials to describe militants both killed and captured.

At least five shelters and a logistics center were also destroyed in the operation, the statement added. 

The military also stated that a total of 32 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants were “neutralized” in northern Syria during Euphrates Shield operation between Dec. 1 and Dec. 7.
 
It said the air operations saw Turkish jets destroy three armed vehicles used by ISIL militants as well as shelters an headquarters.   

The operation began in late August to rid Syria's northern border area of ISIL and other terrorist groups.  

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavuşoğlu said on Dec. 9 the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters closed in on the key ISIL-held city of al-Bab in northern Syria, with Turkish tanks and warplanes supporting the assault.

Over 215 residential areas, including more than 1,800 square kilometers (694 square miles) of land in northern Syria have been cleared of ISIL militants so far.