Turkish intelligence ‘neutralizes’ senior YPG/PKK terrorist in northern Syria

By Orhan Onur Gemici

Turkish intelligence teams “neutralized” a senior YPG/PKK terrorist in Qamishli, northern Syria, security sources said on Thursday.

The National Intelligence Organization neutralized Murat Ates, the PKK/YPG terrorist responsible for logistics and finance in the city of Qamishli, said the sources on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Ates, codenamed Renas Amed, joined the terrorist group PKK in Europe in 2014. He carried out armed activities in the Qandil, Avashin, and Gara areas of northern Iraq in 2014-2016.

The terrorist took part in attempts to infiltrate the Turkish Armed Forces and moved to Syria in 2016, said the sources.

Ates this year started to operate as the so-called financial officer of military hospitals in the Jazira region and was among the terrorists who managed the illegal money traffic.

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

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 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 PKK’s Syrian offshoot.