ERBIL — Turkey's National Defense Ministry on Monday claimed two members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were 'neutralized' in an operation they carried out in the Kurdistan Region.

"Turkish security forces neutralized two PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, near the Turkish border," state media Anadolu Agency reported today, citing security sources.

The terrorists were targeted in the Gara region in an air operation."

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply actions like killing or arresting in the context of the country's military operations against the PKK.

For decades, Turkey and the PKK have been engaged in a prolonged armed conflict, leading to deadly repercussions that extend beyond Turkey's borders.

The PKK retains its bases in the difficult and isolated mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region. These locations often bear the brunt of Turkish aerial and artillery attacks, causing harm to civilians and forcing the abandonment of many villages and extensive farmlands.

On Friday, Turkey's National Defense Ministry claimed its forces "neutralized" four more members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in the Kurdistan Region.