UPDATE - Turkey: 45 terrorists 'neutralized' last week

UPDATES WITH 4 MORE TERRORISTS "NEUTRALIZED"

By Merve Aydogan and Muhammed Boztepe

ANKARA (AA) - A total of 45 PKK terrorists were "neutralized" by the Turkish military in the eastern and southeastern provinces of Tunceli, Siirt, Diyarbakir, Sirnak and Hakkari, and in northern Iraq as part of counterterrorism operations held on April 20-27.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Turkish Armed Forces said 28 targets, shelters, hideouts, and weapons pits were destroyed and arms and ammunition were seized during the operations.

Thirteen terrorists were "neutralized" in Turkey and 28 across the border. One of them was a high-ranking PKK member.

So far, 4,305 terrorists have been "neutralized" since the start of Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s northwestern region of Afrin, the statement added.

Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20 this year to clear the YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorist groups from Afrin, amid growing threats from the region.

On March 18, Turkish-backed troops liberated Afrin town center, which had been a major hideout for YPG/PKK terrorists since 2012.

In a separate statement on Saturday, the Turkish military said four terrorists were "neutralized" in southeastern Hakkari province during counter-terror operations on Friday.