ANKARA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least seven Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members were killed in a counterterrorism operation in northern Iraq, the Turkish military said on Tuesday.

In a written statement from Turkish General Staff, the operation was carried out in Iraq's Gara, Metina, Avasin, and Basyan regions.

The military launched airstrikes on militia targets that were reportedly planning attacks on Turkish positions.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the EU, resumed its armed campaign against the Turkish state in 2015 after a brief reconciliation period.

The Turkish military has been carrying out anti-terror operations against PKK positions in northern Iraq since July 2015, with main focus on Qandil region, where the group's main base is located in.