Turkey 'neutralizes' 6 YPG/PKK terrorists in Iraq, Syria

By Ahmet Sertan Usul

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish security forces "neutralized" six YPG/PKK terrorists in northern areas of Iraq and Syria, an authority said on Monday.

Turkey's National Defense Ministry said in a statement that two terrorists were neutralized in the area of cross-border Operation Pence-Simsek in northern Iraq.

The other four terrorists were neutralized in northern Syria as they attempted to attack the Operation Peace Spring area, it added.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" 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.

Also, 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. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.