PKK terrorists have been using civilians as human shields in areas targeted by the Turkish military in counterterrorism operations in northern Iraq, a report said Tuesday.

The PKK’s so-called Patriotic Free Youth and Women’s Movement has recently urged civilians in northern Iraq to join them and those that do are brought to the Zap area – where the Turkish military is targeting the terrorists – to act as human shields, Yeni Şafak daily reported.

Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) prevented civilians provoked by the PKK from chanting pro-PKK slogans against Turkey. In return, they threatened to stage a sit-in protest in the area.

Northern Iraq is known as the location of many PKK terrorist hideouts and bases from where they carry out attacks in Turkey.

The Turkish military regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq. Turkey has long been stressing that it will not tolerate terrorist threats posed against its national security and has called on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group. Ankara previously noted that if the expected steps were not taken, it would not shy away from targeting terrorist threats.

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women and children.