ANKARA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces killed three members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in their anti-terror operation in the southeast of the country, the interior ministry said Monday.

The three PKK members were "neutralized" in an air-backed operation in the rural areas of the southeastern province of Hakkari, the ministry said in a written statement.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in statements to imply that the terrorists in question surrendered, were killed or were captured.

Meanwhile, at least nine were arrested on Monday for their alleged links to the PKK and Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Party in the southern province of Mardin, semi-official Anadolu Agency reported quoting an anonymous security source.

Turkey has long been conducting operations against the PKK in southeastern Turkey and in northern Iraq where the group has hideouts.

These operations are intensified in the past few months as PKK members often use northern Iraq to launch cross-border attacks in Turkey.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than 30 years, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people. Enditem

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