Airstrikes in Turkey, Iraq kills 12 outlawed PKK militants

Military statements on Sunday claimed that a total of 12 outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants were killed in separate counter operations in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq on Saturday.

The operations in northern Iraq were conducted in the Zap and Matina regions, killing three terrorists who were allegedly preparing for an attack and destroying some weapon pits and caves, Xinhua quoted the Turkish Armed Forces as saying.

Another airstrike was conducted in Beytussebap district of Turkey's southeastern Sirnak province, killing nine



PKK militants, including one senior member.

One Turkish soldier was also killed in an anti-PKK operation in southeastern Hakkari province, local media reported.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU, has resumed its armed campaign against the Turkish government since July 2015.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK (Kurdish: Partiya KarkerÊn KurdistanÊ‎) is a left-wing organization based in Turkey and Iraq. Since 1984 the PKK has been involved in an armed conflict with the Turkish state