ANKARA

Eight terrorists have been neutralized in southeastern Turkey, the Interior Ministry said Friday.

The ministry announced on Twitter that the terrorists were targeted in an air-backed operation in rural areas of Yuksekova district in Hakkari province as part of domestic security operations.

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

The operations are ongoing in the region, the ministry added.