UPDATES WITH STATEMENT OF INTERIOR MINISTRY
By Jeyhun Aliyev and Cankut Tasdan
ANKARA (AA) – Five terrorists were "neutralized" in southeastern Turkey, the country's interior minister said on Sunday.
The provincial gendarmerie commandos neutralized the terrorists and seized their arms and ammunition in a cave in the Mt. Gabar in the Sirnak province, Suleyman Soylu said on Twitter.
Soylu did not specify the terrorists' affiliation, but the PKK terror group has been active in eastern and southeastern Turkey.
Turkish Interior Ministry said in a statement that two of those neutralized were wanted terrorists listed in the Interior Ministry's gray category.
Terrorist M.O., codenamed Evrim Cembeli, is the terrorist group's so-called senior leader of the Gabar district, it added.
The other terrorist E.K., codenamed Tekosin Cudi, is responsible for supplies, weapons and ammunition stores, it said.
Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
The Interior Ministry in a separate statement said the terrorists were hit as part of an anti-terror operation, Yildirim-1 Cudi, adding that the operation was continuing in the region.
This summer, the country launched a series of security operations to neutralize terrorists believed to be hiding in eastern and southeastern Turkey.
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.
*Writing by Gozde Bayar
