Turkish military 'neutralizes' 11 terrorists in northern Syria

By Gizem Nisa Cebi

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Armed Forces "neutralized" 11 terrorists in northern Syria, the National Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"Our heroic Turkish Armed Forces neutralized 11 PKK/YPG terrorists identified in the Euphrates Shield and Peace Spring regions in northern Syria," the ministry said on X.

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

"Our operations will continue resolutely until the last terrorist is neutralized," the ministry said.

The latest operations came after Wednesday’s PKK terror attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) headquarters in the capital Ankara killed five people and injured 22 others.

In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants, and the elderly. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

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).