At least 20 PKK terrorists killed in southeast Turkey

By Kagizman Ali Celik

ANKARA

At least 20 PKK terrorists were killed in four separate counter-terrorism operations in four southeastern Turkish provinces Sunday, the military announced on its official website Monday.

The Turkish General Staff said in a statement that five PKK terrorists were killed in Mardin province’s Nusaybin district, bringing the total number of terrorists killed in the area to 292 since operations there began.

Separately, six more PKK terrorists were killed in Diyarbakir province’s Lice district, it said.

In another operation in Sirnak province, four PKK terrorists were killed, bringing the total number killed there to 250.

Several weapons were also seized during the operations, the statement added.

In another operation, five other PKK terrorists were “neutralized” during a clash in Kars province’s Kagizman district, unnamed security sources said.

The operation is said to be ongoing in the area, the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are restricted from talking to media, added.

The PKK – also seen as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU – resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, over 400 Turkish security personnel, including troops, police officers and village guards have been martyred and more than 3,700 PKK terrorists killed in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq.

*Anadolu Agency correspondents Hatice Kesgin and Emin Avundukluoglu contributed to this report from Ankara.