Turkey neutralizes 24 more YPG/PKK terrorists in N. Syria

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish army "neutralized" 24 YPG/PKK terrorists attempting to infiltrate into northern Syrian territories, the National Defense Ministry said on Monday.

"17 YPG/PKK terrorists plotting to attack the [Operation] Euphrates Shield region, and 7 YPG/PKK terrorists attempting to infiltrate into [Operation] Olive Branch from Tal Rifat were neutralized following successful operations launched by our heroic commandos," the ministry said on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, the ministry had announced 32 YPG/PKK terrorists were also neutralized upon their attempt to infiltrate into the southern area of Operation Peace Spring.

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

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terrorist operations across its border into northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable peaceful settlement by locals: Operations Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

On Sunday, Turkey announced a new offensive, Operation Spring Shield, in northwestern Syria. It came after at least 34 Turkish soldiers were martyred and dozens injured in an Assad regime airstrike in the Idlib de-escalation zone, just across Turkey’s southern border, on Feb. 27.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.