Baku, Azerbaijan, July 1
Trend:
The Turkish Air Force eliminated eight members of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) during air operations in the country’s two south-eastern provinces and northern Iraq, the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces said in a message July 1.
"During the air operation from June 30 to July 1, eight PKK terrorists were neutralized in Zap region in northern Iraq, as well as in Catak area of Van province and Beytusabap area of Sirnak province," the message said.
Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish Armed Forces launched a new military operation in northern Iraq.
He added that the Turkish Air Force used 20 aircraft and destroyed 14 PKK bases in northern Iraq.
"Turkey is resolute in the fight against PKK," Erdogan said.
Earlier it was reported that within the operation against PKK in northern Iraq, the Turkish military moved deep into Iraqi territory by 73 kilometers.
The country’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said earlier that Turkey has 11 military bases in northern Iraq, which greatly facilitate the fight against PKK.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has lasted more than 25 years, claiming more than 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN and the EU.