Turkish gendarmerie forces killed a group of eight PKK terrorists in southeastern Hakkari province, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said Thursday.

In a statement, Soylu said Turkey had been tracking the terrorists for a while and killed them in the Cilo Alandüz area.

He did not reveal the names or rankings of the terrorists.

Meanwhile, a statement by the ministry noted that the terrorists were killed as part of Operation Eren 14, carried out by the Hakkari Gendarmerie Command in the Cilo Alandüz area.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were used in air-backed operations, the ministry added.

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. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) also regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq, a region where PKK terrorists have hideouts and bases from which to carry out attacks in Turkey.

PKK leadership is struggling to recruit both militants and higher ranks, according to reports. Additionally, many terrorists are reluctant to enter Turkey from Iraq to carry out attacks due to the high number of casualties.

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 death of some 40,000 people, including women and children.