Turkish forces neutralize 31 PKK terrorists in new northern Iraq operation

Thirty-one PKK terrorists have so far been neutralized in northern Iraq as part of Turkey's new anti-terror operations there, the country's defense chief said on Sunday.

Turkey on Friday launched Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim in northern Iraq's Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions, near Turkey's borders, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced early Saturday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said later Saturday that the operation aims to completely eliminate the terrorist threat along Turkey's southern borders.

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

The PKK terrorist group often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to hide and plot terror attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK-listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU-has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.