Turkey neutralizes 4 YPG/PKK terrorists in N.Syria

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces "neutralized" at least four YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said Saturday.

On Twitter, the ministry said the terrorists were neutralized when they opened harassing fire in the Operation Olive Branch region, in an area across Turkey’s southern border.

The operations against terrorists will continue without any letup, it added.

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

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and to enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

Terrorist groups – especially the YPG/PKK – sometimes try to infiltrate and attack these areas to disturb the peace and stability established by Turkey.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, 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.