Turkey ‘neutralized’ 1,162 terrorists in 2021: Defense Ministry

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish forces have neutralized 1,162 terrorists in operations within the country and outside its borders this year, the National Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

The terrorists were neutralized in 181 large- and medium-scale operations, the ministry said in a statement.

The figure includes 142 terrorists who were neutralized in Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim operations in northern Iraq. As many as 57 caves, 110 shelters and 398 mines were also destroyed.

Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Turkey launched operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim on April 23 in northern Iraq's Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions.

The PKK terror group often uses bases in northern Iraq just across Turkey's southern border to hide and plot terror attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

Separately, Turkey has dismissed over 24,700 military personnel since the 2016 defeated coup as part of its fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), while 2,493 others are still facing trial.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people dead and 2,734 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.