Security forces killed 53 PKK terrorists in counter-terrorism operations in eastern and southeastern Turkey in the past week, the military said Friday.
Turkish General Staff said in a statement that 60 terrorists were killed in Sirnak, Hakkari, Diyarbakir, Bingol, Elazig and Siirt provinces.
The terrorists include regional leader "Sefkan", codenamed Kenan Kahraman, who was wanted under a Turkish gray notice; "Hakki", codenamed Yasin Atak, who is believed to be responsible for the Senkaya-Gole area and "Aliser", codenamed Zeynal Leblebici, who was said to be responsible for Senkaya-Gole area and wanted under a Turkish green notice.
Hand grenades, machine guns, rocket launchers and other various weapons were seized during the operations, the statement added.
Approximately 3,890 kilograms (8,575 pounds) of ammonium nitrate, gas cylinders, mines and a large amount of ammunition, cables and fuses -- possibly used in bomb making -- were also captured.
Fifty-eight shelters as well as caves and storages used by terrorists, were destroyed.
Contraband confiscated in the past week included 3,655,301 bits of hemp roots, 2,767 kilograms of powder cannabis as well as 8,857 kilograms powder hashish, 7,400 liters of smuggled fuel and 34,480,110 packages of smuggled cigarettes.
The statement added that 7,851 illegal migrants were stopped at Turkey's borders.
Ten soldiers were martyred and 36 others were injured in anti-terror operations.
More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.
