Turkey 'neutralizes' 3 PKK terrorists in Iraq, Syria

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces "neutralized" three PKK terrorists in northern areas of Iraq and Syria, near Turkey's border, the National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

In a Twitter post, the ministry said a terrorist was neutralized by Turkish drones in northern Iraq's Haftanin region in a joint operation by Turkish forces and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT).

Separately, two terrorists were targeted by Turkish commandoes in northern Syria as they attempted to infiltrate the Operation Peace Spring area, it added, sharing footages of the operations.

The terrorist PKK often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to plot terror attacks in Turkey.

Meanwhile, the terror outfit's Syrian offshoot, the YPG, has tried to establish a terror corridor in northern Syria, targeting both Turkish soldiers and border areas.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Turkey has carried out a series of offensives since 2019 against terrorist groups in northern Iraq, particularly the PKK. The latest operations, Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim, were launched this April in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions.

In Syria, since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

In its over 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.