ANKARA

Turkish security forces on Saturday neutralized four terrorists in the southeastern province of Bingol in an air-backed operation, the Interior Ministry said. 

The terrorists were captured with their weapons by the Gendarmerie Command, according to a statement.

Turkish authorities often use the term “neutralized" in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

A total of 69,496 terrorists have been arrested and 5,778 neutralized in the past three years as part of a nationwide crackdown, the Interior Ministry said.

*Writing by Dilara Hamit