Army neutralizes wanted terrorist in southeast Turkey

Turkish army neutralized a wanted PKK terrorist, Vehbi Taş, on Aug. 7 in southeast Turkey, according to the Turkish General Staff on Monday evening.

Taş, codenamed Serkeft Siyar, was in the orange colored wanted list. The wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted followed by blue, green, orange and grey.

In a Twitter post, the army said the wanted terrorist was among four PKK terrorists neutralized during an air-backed operation in a rural area of southeastern Şırnak province.

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

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 death of some 40,000 people.