By Gozde Bayar and Alperen Aktas
UPDATES WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE
ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces "neutralized" 12 more PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Syria near the Turkish border, the National Defense Ministry said on Friday.
The ministry said in a statement: “Twelve terrorists preparing for an attack in northern Syria were neutralized in a successful operation.”
The number of terrorists "neutralized" in the region since Thursday rose to 21, the ministry added.
Separately, earlier the ministry reported that three PKK terrorists were "neutralized" in northern Iraq, in the Operation Claw-Lock region.
Ministry sources said large-scale operations continue in the northern Iraq region after Wednesday’s harassing fire by terrorists, which took the lives of six Turkish soldiers.
"Each cave in the Operation Claw-Lock area will be entered, and these activities will continue until that area is completely cleared of terrorism," said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in northern Iraq in April 2022 to root out terrorists hiding in the border region, where they have hideouts to plan attacks in Türkiye.
Turkish authorities use the term "neutralized" to imply that the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian branch.