"3 PKK members, who were identified by means of reconnaissance and surveillance in the Metina and Gara regions of northern Iraq, were neutralized in an airstrike," the statement said.

Turkish Defense Ministry uses the word "neutralized" in its statements instead of "killed", "captured" or "surrendered".

The ongoing conflict between Turkey and PKK has resulted in nearly forty thousand deaths since 1984 when PKK waged an insurgency against the Turkish State.