It said all planes returned to their bases safely and described the operation, which was carried out late Wednesday and early Thursday, as "effective." The warplanes hit their targets in the Zap and Avasin-Basian regions in the area, the statement added.    

The Turkish Air Forces’ operation came just after 10 soldiers were killed in two separate terror attacks. 

PKK terrorists use northern Iraq as a base for launching attacks in Turkey.

Turkey, provided with intelligence by the United States, stepped up its campaign to crackdown on the PKK both inside Turkey and in northern Iraq.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community, including the EU and the United States.