Turkey: 62 PKK terrorists 'neutralized' over past week

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA

A total of 62 PKK terrorists, including senior operatives, were "neutralized" during counter-terrorism operations in Turkey and northern Iraq over the past week, the Turkish military said on Friday.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

In a weekly statement, Turkish General Staff said the counter-terrorism raids were carried out in southeastern Sirnak, Siirt, Hakkari, Diyarbakir and Mardin provinces, as well as in northern Iraq regions from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6.

Separately, the military said a total of 4,573 terrorists have been neutralized since the launch of Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s Afrin region.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin. On March 18, Turkish troops and the Free Syrian Army liberated the Afrin district center.

The military said Turkey "resolutely" continues to fight against terrorist organizations, particularly PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG, and also Daesh, in the country and abroad.

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.