“9 PKK members were neutralized in an airstrike on the Gara region of northern Iraq as a result of joint efforts by Turkish intelligence and armed forces,” the Ministry said.

Turkish Defense Ministry uses the word "neutralized" in its statements instead of "killed", "captured" or "surrendered".

The ongoing conflict between Turkey and PKK has resulted in nearly forty thousand deaths since 1984 when PKK waged an insurgency against the Turkish State. (ILKHA)