UPDATE - Türkiye 'neutralizes' 81 PKK/YPG terrorists over past week

UPDATES WITH MORE INFORMATION FROM BRIEFING

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye has "neutralized" as many as 81 PKK/YPG terrorists over the last week, including those hiding out across the border in the northern areas of Iraq and Syria, the National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

A total of 2,201 terrorists were "neutralized" since Jan. 1, spokesman Zeki Akturk told reporters at a briefing in the capital Ankara.

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

The recent anti-terror operations followed Friday's PKK terror attack that killed 12 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq. Turkish airstrikes, since then, have destroyed dozens of terror targets in northern Iraq and Syria and neutralized senior terrorists.

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye. It also has a Syrian branch, known as the YPG.

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).

Since January, the terrorist group has been behind 496 incidents and attacks in areas of Türkiye's counter-terrorism operations in Syria, and 1,502 terrorists have been neutralized through an immediate response by Turkish soldiers, said the official.

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.

On illegal crossings into Türkiye, Akturk said thanks to effective security measures,13,640 people who tried to illegally cross Türkiye's borders have been caught since Jan. 1, including 605 terrorists.

A total of 207,289 people were prevented before they were able to cross the border.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

The country, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, is taking new measures at its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.

- Recent PKK terror attacks

On the questions about the Turkish soldiers killed last week in northern Iraq, the ministry sources said that the PKK terror group first attempted to infiltrate the Sur Tepe region in Hakurk, northeastern Iraq on Dec. 22 and that six soldiers were killed during the first clash that broke out.

On Dec. 23, there was an infiltration attempt from the Metina region and in the clashes there six soldiers were killed and 13 others were wounded, the sources added.

"The infiltration attempt was not carried out by groups of 50-100 people, as claimed, but by small groups hiding in caves in a situation where the weather was heavy, visibility was reduced to 5-10 meters due to heavy fog and snowfall. It was impossible to use uncrewed aerial vehicles or uncrewed combat aerial vehicles, and thermal systems," they said.

"The main aim of the terrorists was prevented thanks to the heroic defense of the positions of our troops in the forward line and the fact that the battalion commander of the commando unit, who joined the clashes to reinforce the troops, did not leave the command despite being wounded.

"All of the terrorists who attempted to infiltrate were neutralized," the sources added.