ANKARA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish intelligence has killed 15 members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the past week in a cross-border operations in northern Iraq, Türkiye's semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Monday.
The National Intelligence Organization has "neutralized" 15 militants, including senior members of the group, in the Hakhurk region of the neighboring country in a week, the agency quoted anonymous security officials as saying, without specifying the time of the operations.
The operations came after the intelligence organization identified a group of PKK militants that were planning attacks against Turkish Armed Forces troops and border outposts, Anadolu reported.
Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralize" in their statements to imply the alleged "terrorists" have either surrendered, been killed, or been captured.
The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, is based in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, an area where Türkiye frequently conducts airstrikes and maintains military outposts.
On March 14, Türkiye and Iraq said they had reached a landmark deal to tackle the security threat posed by the PKK, and Baghdad labeled the group a "banned organization." ■
