Turkish forces “neutralize” 6 Kurdish militants in Iraq

ANKARA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) — Turkish security forces “neutralized” six members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq and apprehended 14 suspects linked to the group in southern Türkiye, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Monday.
In a statement, the ministry said that airstrikes targeted PKK strongholds in the Gara and Metina regions of northern Iraq.
Meanwhile, domestic security operations in Türkiye led to the arrest of 14 suspected PKK members in southern Mersin province, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.
The suspects face charges related to attending pro-PKK gatherings, attempting to recruit via social media, and disseminating “terrorist propaganda.”
Turkish authorities often use the term “neutralize” to imply the alleged “terrorists” have either surrendered, been killed, or been captured.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
Since 2019, Türkiye has initiated a series of cross-border military operations into the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, targeting the PKK’s hideouts. ■