Turkish army kills 47 PKK militants in İdil in week

ŞIRNAK - Doğan News Agency

At least 47 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have been killed in the southeastern town of İdilover the past week, amid ongoing counterterrorism operations in the country’s eastern and southeastern regions targeting militants from the outlawed group.

The Turkish General Staff (TSK) said in written statements that 20 PKK militants had been killed in İdil, a district in the southeastern province of Şırnak, on Feb. 24, while six others were killed in operations in the town on Feb. 23.

The military also said another militant was killed on Feb. 22 in counterterrorism operation in the southeastern town. The operations in İdil started on Feb. 18. A location used by PKK militants as a storage warehouse for weapons and ammunition was also discovered in İdil, the Army said.

During the search of the cell, six Kalashnikov rifles, 500 cartridges, a rocket launcher, an automated machine gun, eight improvised explosive devices with remote controls, 58 hand grenades, five gas cylinders and explosives were found inside.

An indefinite curfew was declared in İdil starting from 11 p.m. on Feb. 16 to remove barricades and explosive-laden trenches, the Şırnak Governor’s Office said.