Turkish airstrikes kill four Kurdish militants in northern Iraq

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The Turkish military carried out airstrikes in northern Iraq's Avasin Basyan region on Saturday, killing four Kurdish militants, it said on its official Twitter account.

Turkey has recently stepped up strikes on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) bases in northern Iraq, especially its stronghold in the Qandil mountains. Ankara has said it may launch a ground offensive into Qandil, where high-ranking PKK members are believed to be based.

(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Catherine Evans)