ANKARA, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish air force launched airstrikes in northern Iraq on Wednesday, destroying eight terrorist targets, the military said Thursday.

The airstrikes were carried out in northern Iraq's Hakurk and Zap regions, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement.

The military did not give information on the terror group. Turkish strikes in the regions usually target the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, has been striving for the establishment of an independent Kurdish state by armed combat since the 1970s.

The airstrikes took place amid intense Turkish-led military operations in Afrin, northern Syria, targeting the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which were alleged by Ankara to be affiliated with the PKK.