SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Turkish forces in southeastern Turkey “neutralized” a member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) wanted by Interpol, according to state-owned Anadolu Agency.
Anadolu cited the interior ministry as saying that Veysel Akkus, codenamed Herdem Amed, and three other PKK members were “neutralized” by local forces in in air-backed operations in Siirt province.
Turkey uses “neutralize” term for targets who have been killed or wounded.
Anadolu said Akkus was wanted with red notice by Interpol. He was also in the grey category of Turkish interior ministry’s wanted list, with a bounty of up to 500,000 Turkish liras ($30,450) on his dead.
Turkey’s wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red being the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and gray, according to Anadolu.
The PKK is deemed a “terrorist” organization by Ankara, the United States and the European Union, and Turkey’s military often targets members in the country’s southeast.
The PKK launched a separatist insurgency in the region in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
Separately, the Turkish defense ministry said its forces had “neutralized” three PKK fighters in northern Iraq.
