ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey’s military carried out air strikes in northern Iraq on Wednesday, killing 23 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), it said on Twitter.

The air strikes targeted several regions in the neighboring northern Iraq, including the Qandil mountains, a PKK stronghold, the military said.

Turkey has in recent months carried out regular strikes on PKK bases in northern Iraq. PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. More than 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK launched its insurgency in Turkey in 1984.