Turkish security forces ‘neutralize’ 36 terrorists in cross-border operations over past week

By Utku Simsek

Turkish security forces “neutralized” 36 terrorists in cross-border operations over the past week, a Turkish National Defense Ministry official said on Thursday.

The Turkish Armed Forces continue their resolved struggle against all terrorist organizations, including PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG, Daesh/ISIS, and the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) , Zeki Akturk, the press and public relations consultant at the ministry, told reporters in the capital Ankara.

Akturk said that the number of terrorists neutralized since Jan. 1 has reached 519, with 204 in northern Iraq and 315 in northern Syria.

He noted that 161 people, including 11 terrorists, attempting to cross the borders illegally were nabbed in the past week, while 1,571 others were prevented from crossing the border.

"The number of individuals nabbed while trying to cross Turkish borders illegally since Jan. 1 has risen to 1,609, while the number of people prevented from crossing the border has reached 31,586," he said.

Providing information about Türkiye’s humanitarian aid to the war-torn Gaza, Akturk said a military transport aircraft of the A400M type delivered an additional 8.3 tons of medical supplies to the region on March 4.

Some 19 aircraft from the Turkish Air Force have so far transported nearly 250 tons of humanitarian aid materials to Gaza, Akturk added.

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 offshoot.

Türkiye became one of the first countries in 2013 to declare Daesh/ISIS a terror group.

The nation has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with more than 300 victims killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks and four armed attacks.

Türkiye launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad in response to prevent additional attacks.

FETO and its US-based leader Fethullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded in Türkiye.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz