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ISTANBUL (Reuters) – The airstrikes of Turkish warplanes have "neutralized" 15 militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), banned in northern Iraq, the army announced on Twitter Saturday, destroying hiding places and arsenals belonging to the group.
The Turkish army uses the phrase "neutralize" when it killed, captured or wounded fighters.
The air strikes on Friday targeted the regions of Gara, Zap and Avasin-Basyan, in northern Iraq, the Turkish army said, adding that militants apparently were preparing to launch an attack.
"Fifteen armed members of the separatist terrorist organization, who were preparing to attack military bases, were neutralized, hiding places and armories were destroyed by air strikes carried out on November 9," said the spokesman. army, using the term used the PKK.
Turkey regularly carries out air strikes against PKK targets in northern Iraq, where the group is based in the Qandil Mountains.
The PKK, considered a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Turkey, led a three-decade insurgency in largely Kurdish southeastern Turkey, which killed around 40,000 people .
(Written by Ezgi Erkoyun, edited by Kirsten Donovan)
Copyright 2018 Thomson Reuters.
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