ANKARA

Ukraine on Tuesday condemned the PKK terror group for the massacre of 13 Turkish citizens in northern Iraq.

“It is with deep sorrow that we learned about the deaths of Turkish citizens in northern Iraq. The murderers of unarmed people deserve the most severe condemnation,” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

“We express our sincere condolences to the friendly Turkish people, as well as relatives and friends of the victims.”

The bodies of the 13 Turkish citizens, held captive by the PKK for several years, were found during Turkey’s anti-terror operation in the Gara region in northern Iraq, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Sunday.

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 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.