Turkish military says at least 150 PKK separatists killed in N. Iraq

Turkey's General Staff said on Saturday at least 150 PKK separatists were killed during the May 1-2 air strikes against PKK bases in northern Iraq. Â

"According to initial estimates, this operation allowed us to neutralise more than 150 terrorists," declared a statement published on the Turkish army website.

The statement added several high-ranking outlawed  PKK separatists may have been among the dead.

"The operation caused a big panic among terror organization's members," the statement read.

The military said in an earlier statement, it successfully hit 43 outlawed PKK targets in a three-hour air operation on Mount Qandil in northern Iraq which ended early Friday.

The military released on Friday the video footage of the air operation. The link for the video can be found here. (Please note the website is in Turkish) 

Turkish warplanes have targeted terrorist positions in northern Iraq since mid-December. In February, the army conducted a week-long ground offensive against PKK hideouts in the region, where more than 2,000 militants take refuge.

The Turkish government has a one-year parliamentary authorization, which expires in October, for cross-border raids against the PKK. The United States has backed Turkish military action against the outlawed PKK separatists by providing real-time intelligence on PKK movements in Iraq.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community, including the EU and the U.S..