Turkey: Over 45 PKK terrorists neutralized in 1 week

By Cankut Tasdan

ANKARA

A total of 46 PKK terrorists have been neutralized inside Turkey in the past week, the Interior Ministry announced Monday.

In a statement detailing operations held between Sept. 11 and Monday, the ministry said: "During the operations, a total of 29 terrorists were killed; 11 of them surrendered while six others were captured alive."

The operations were held in Diyarbakir, Mardin, Igdir, Sivas, Siirt, Bingol, Tunceli, and Sirnak; 28 shelters and 49 improvised explosive devices were also destroyed.

Also, security personnel captured 134 hand grenades, 191 kilograms (421 pounds) of bomb-making material and 34 heavy weapons.

Separately, a soldier was martyred during an operation against the PKK terrorist group in southeastern Mardin province on Monday, according to a military source.

The operation remains ongoing, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.

Reporting by Cankut Tasdan:Writing by Satuk Bugra Kutlugun