Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the killing of five members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the "Asos" area of the Kurdistan Region.

The PKK is a Kurdish militant political organization and armed guerrilla movement. It was founded in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan in the Kurdish-majority regions of southeastern Turkiye and northern Iraq.

Initially, the PKK sought to establish an independent Kurdish state, but in the 1990s, it shifted its goals towards seeking autonomy and increased political and cultural rights for Kurds within Turkiye.

Over the years, the group has been involved in asymmetric warfare, including guerrilla tactics, kidnappings, and bombings. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, the European Union, and several other countries.

Turkiye has been engaged in a long-standing conflict with the PKK since the group began its insurgency in 1984. The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, including militants, Turkish security forces, and civilians. The Turkish government has conducted numerous military operations against the PKK, both within Turkiye and across its borders in northern Iraq and Syria.

In recent years, Turkiye has intensified its military actions against the PKK, particularly in northern Iraq's Qandil Mountains, where the PKK has established bases. These operations often involve airstrikes, drone attacks, and ground incursions. Turkiye's military efforts aim to dismantle the PKK's infrastructure, disrupt its operations, and prevent attacks on Turkish soil.

The conflict has also seen periods of attempted peace negotiations, such as the ceasefire and peace talks that took place between 2012 and 2015. However, these efforts have often been undermined by renewed violence and attacks.