Turkish security forces in eastern Van province have eliminated a PKK member sought under the gray category of the country's wanted terrorist list, the Interior Ministry announced Monday.

The terrorist was among two others killed as part of Operation Eren-1 by the Turkish Gendarmerie Special Forces in a rural area in the Başkale district, a ministry statement said.

Operation Eren, named after Eren Bübül, a 15-year-old killed by PKK terrorists on Aug. 11, 2017, began in January with the aim of completely eliminating terrorism in the country.

Among the terrorists was Gökhan Demir, code-named Agit, who was in the gray category of the Interior Ministry's wanted list, the statement said, adding he was the head of the terrorist group in Başkale.

The wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and gray.

Demir was among the perpetrators of the terrorist attack carried out in the Özalp district of Van in May 2020. A municipal employee and a civilian were killed and another municipal employee was injured in the armed attack targeting a vehicle of the Vefa Social Support Group.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

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.