Akar noted that the protection of national interests, preservation of the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Turkey is priority for the country’s Armed Forces.

He also stressed that the people of Turkey trust their army.

From the other hand, at least five PKK terrorists were killed in Turkey's southeastern Sirnak province on Tuesday, an official statement said.

According to the statement by local governor's office, the terrorists were spotted in the Beytussebap district's Farasin region by air force units.

The conflict between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist group, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has lasted more than 25 years, claiming more than 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN and the EU.