Senior PKK official killed in Turkish operation in Iraq: Erdogan

ANKARA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was killed in a Turkish intelligence operation in northern Iraq, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.

"Selman Bozkir, codenamed Doctor Huseyin, the senior official of the PKK terrorist organization and general manager of Makhmur, was neutralized by the heroes of our National Intelligence Organization (MIT) yesterday (on Saturday)," Erdogan tweeted.

Turkish authorities usually use the word "neutralize" to imply that the "terrorists" in question have surrendered or were killed or captured.

Makhmur is a UN-led Kurdish refugee camp 180 km south of the Turkish border. Ankara has long been accusing the camp of harboring PKK members.

Erdogan said Turkey will not allow the "treacherous and separatist organization" to use Makhmur camp as an "incubator for terrorism."

"We will continue to exterminate terrorism at its source," he added.

Last week, the Turkish president said that Turkey will "clean up" the refugee camp.

"If the United Nations does not clean it up, we will do it as a UN member," he said on June 2.

Turkish forces frequently carry out ground operations, airstrikes and artillery bombardments against the PKK positions in northern Iraq, especially the Qandil Mountains, the main base of the group.

[ Editor: WPY ]