Turkish air strikes neutralise senior PKK terrorists in northern Iraq

In a joint operation, Turkish army and intelligence units last week hit several senior targets at the terrorist PKK’s base near Mt Qandil, northern Iraq, security sources said on Wednesday.

The operation last Thursday was ordered in light of intelligence that Riza Altun, top aide to PKK co-leader Cemil Bayik, and other senior terrorists were set to hold a meeting on Qandil, near the Iranian border, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Using precise coordinates supplied by Turkish intelligence, the strikes by Turkish jets seriously injured Altun.

According to the Daily Sabah, Altun was travelling to Abu Bakra village when the air raid was conducted. 

The operation also neutralised several top terrorist PKK targets, including its so-called foreign relations officer Mikail Ozdemir alias "Navdar," spokesman Emrullah Dursun alias "Serhat Varto," and Qandil regional manager Ali Aktas alias"Sinan Sor."

Turkish Presidency Communications Director Fahrettin Altun commented on the successful operation in a tweet.

"We dealt another heavy blow to PKK."

"Riza Altun, introduced as "PKK's foreign minister" in Saudi Arabia's Okaz newspaper in 2017, and the ones with him have been hit in a successful air strike by our security forces."

The Turkish military generally uses the term "neutralise" to signify that the targets were killed, captured, surrendered or rendered incapacitated.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including many women and children.

TRT World 's Yusuf Erim has more.