918 terrorists killed since start of PKK operations

As the terrorist PKK continues attacks to disrupt public order across the country, 918 PKK terrorists have reportedly been killed since July 22 in operations against the terrorist organization both within and outside Turkey, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA). In the last 50 days, 60 security officers, including soldiers and police have been killed by the PKK along with 15 civilians, including one Iranian. Two-hundred-six civilians have been wounded, according to AA. The PKK set 211 vehicles ablaze. In cross border operations by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) against the PKK terrorist organization, nearly 580 terrorist were injured while nearly 300 terrorist were wounded in operations in Turkey. The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by the EU and U.S., has been involved in a bloody campaign under the pretext of Kurdish self-rule in southeastern Turkey since the 1980s, which saw tens of thousands of civilians, Turkish soldiers and police officers killed in the conflict. The group largely ceased its activities after the government launched a reconciliation process to end the PKK's campaign of terror two years ago. Turkey has been hit by violence since a suicide bomb attack by a suspected Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) supporter killed 33 activists in Suruç on July 20. The PKK stepped up its attacks, killing dozens of military and police officers as well as civilians in attacks since then. Ankara, in response, intensified its counterterrorism operations with airstrikes on PKK targets in northern Iraq and a crackdown on militants hiding in mountainous areas in southeastern and eastern Turkey. The Turkish Air Force has been carrying out airstrikes on the PKK in northern Iraq and ISIS militants in northern Syria. In Turkey alone there are over 2,500 PKK terrorists while this figure surpasses 9,000 abroad, 2,500 of which are in Syria, 600 in Iran and 3,500 in northern Iraq and the remaining 2,500 are in other countries including the EU. The Foreign Ministry said on Aug. 1 that the PKK uses civilians as human shields in its camps.