Turkish Forces Kill 43 PKK Fighters in Southeast Turkey Within 7 Days

Turkish security forces have killed 43 fighters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), banned in Turkey, within seven days, local media reported on Saturday, citing a statement of Turkish General Staff.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The PKK fighters were killed during counterterrorism operations conducted in the country's southeastern provinces of Sirnak, Diyarbakir and Hakkari on August 17-24, the Yeni Safak newspaper reported.

The security forces reportedly managed to seize firearms and C4 explosives during the operation.

On Monday, Turkish security forces killed two militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and destroyed their bomb-laden vehicle in the Gurpinar district of eastern Van province.

Turkish media also reported that the country's security forces killed about 17 PKK fighters and captured 10 more in the period from August 14 to August 20 in a series of anti-terror raids.

Tensions between Ankara and the Kurds escalated in July 2015 when a ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK collapsed over a series of terror attacks allegedly committed by PKK members. The Turkish forces are currently involved in anti-PKK raids across the country, as well as against Kurdish positions in neighboring Syria and Iraq.