The Turkish Air Forces killed nine PKK terrorists in raids on northern Iraq, the military said Wednesday.

Strikes on the Hakurk, Zap, Avasin-Basyan, and Metina regions resulted in nine terrorists, who were planning attacks on military bases along the border, being "neutralized," a term that usually suggests the targets have been killed.

In a statement, the General Staff said shelters and weapon pits were destroyed during the air-backed operations.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. In over 30 years of violence against Turkey, more than 40,000 people have been killed.

The group uses northern Iraq's mountainous border region to launch attacks on Turkey and has its main base at Mt. Qandil, near the Iraq-Iran border.