Turkish troops neutralize 12 PKK terrorists in domestic anti-terror operations

A dozen of PKK terrorists have been neutralized since mid-April when Turkish security forces launched a counter-terrorism operation, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The statement said a total of 12 terrorists, including one on the Interior Ministry's wanted terrorists list, have been neutralized during the Eren Abluka operations launched on April 15.

Gendarmerie units and special police elements join in forces to target PKK terrorism, it also noted, adding that the operations were held in Turkey's Diyarbakır, Hakkari, Batman, Şırnak, Mardin, Tunceli, Muş, Bingöl, Ağrı, Elazığ, and Hatay provinces.

Also, dozens of terror nests, as well as over a hundred shelters and 16 depots, were destroyed through the operations.

The statement noted that 231 hand grenades, 1,322 kilograms (nearly 2,915 pounds) of explosive materials, 29 improvised explosive devices, one RPG-7 rocket launcher, and thousands of ammunition were also seized by authorities.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.