ANKARA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish military has killed three members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, the Turkish defense ministry said on Thursday.
"Our operations against the terrorist organization PKK continue resolutely. Three PKK terrorists, identified through reconnaissance and surveillance, in the Hakurk region in the northern part of Iraq, were neutralized by an air operation," the ministry said in a written statement.
Turkish authorities use the term "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
Turkish security forces have long been conducting operations against the PKK in southeastern Turkey and in northern Iraq where the group has hideouts. These operations are intensified in the past few months. PKK members often use northern Iraq to plan cross-border attacks in Turkey.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over 30 years, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people. Enditem
