Turkish security forces eliminated a senior PKK terrorist in northern Iraq near the border, in a counterterrorism operation in coordination with intelligence units, defense sources said Thursday.

Mehmet Doğan was killed in an operation coordinated by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media said Thursday.

Turkish security forces regularly conduct counterterrorism operations in the eastern and southeastern provinces of Turkey, where the PKK has attempted to establish a strong presence.

Security forces also carry out operations abroad where the terrorist organization poses a threat. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) regularly conduct cross-border operations in northern Iraq, a region where PKK terrorists have hideouts and bases from which to carry out attacks against Turkey.

Separately, in northern Syria, near the Turkish-Syrian border, 11 members of the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, the YPG, were also eliminated by Turkish security forces.

The TSK took down the terrorists after they opened harassment fire on Turkish soldiers in the Operation Peace Spring zone, an area Turkish forces cleared and patrolled for terrorist elements.

"We continue to give the inevitable end to terrorists who opened harassment fire," said the Defense Ministry on Twitter.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants./aa