Turkish security forces have neutralized the former guard of the PKK terrorist group’s acting leader Murat Karayılan, a statement from the Interior Ministry said late Tuesday.

According to the statement, the terrorist was codenamed "Hevran Havraman Avyer" and his real name is Hasan Mahmudi.

The terrorist was being hunted on a red notice, the statement added.

"It was determined that he used to be the guard of Murat Karayılan, whose codename is "Cemal," the ministry said.

Karayılan himself has been on the radar of Turkish security forces, as Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu previously vowed to capture and "cut him into thousand pieces" following the PKK execution of 13 Turkish citizens in northern Iraq's Gara region.

PKK terrorists often use northern Iraq as a base to plan cross-border terrorist attacks on Turkey.

Turkey launched operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle last June to ensure the safety of Turks and its national borders by eliminating terrorist threats. Operation Claw-Eagle 2 was launched on Wednesday.

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, children and infants.