Turkish Armed Forces on Monday said wanted senior PKK terrorist Raife Elmas, codenamed "Dicle Zafer," was among the terrorists killed during a counterterrorism operation in the eastern province of Bingöl on Aug. 15.

In a statement, the army said Elmas, marked blue in the Interior Ministry's most wanted list, was killed during an airstrike in Bingöl. The Interior Ministry's wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and gray.

Formed in 1978, the PKK terrorist organization has been fighting the Turkish government for an independent state. This terror campaign has caused the deaths of more than 40,000 people.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU. The PKK resumed its decades-old campaign in July 2015, after a three-year cease-fire period and since then, more than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives.