Turkey ‘neutralized’ at least 7 terrorists last week

Turkish security forces neutralized seven PKK terrorists in counter-terrorism operations across Turkey over the past week, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralize" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

The statement said that the operations were conducted on Jan. 25- Feb. 1 in Turkey's southeastern Diyarbakır, Siirt, Batman, Şırnak, Bitlis and Mardin provinces, neutralizing seven terrorists.

During the operations, Turkish forces also confiscated 14 infantry rifles, 5,322 pieces of small arms ammunition, 188 pieces of anti-aircraft ammunition, seven RPG-7 rockets, eight hand grenades, an anti-tank weapon, 825 kilograms (1,818 pounds) of ammonium nitrate, and 67 kg (148 lb.) of C-4 explosives.

Thirty-eight weapon pits, shelters, and depots belonging to the terrorists were also destroyed.

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