A cross-border counterterrorism operation jointly conducted by Turkish security forces and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) on Friday killed three senior PKK terrorists in northern Iraq.

According to the information received from security sources, three PKK members operating at a responsible level in the Gara, Qandil and Sinjar regions of northern Iraq were eliminated in the operation.

The PKK terrorist group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to plot terrorist 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.