Turkey ‘neutralizes’ 5 PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Syria

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces “neutralized five YPG/PKK terrorists in northwestern Syria, the National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

"Five PKK/YPG terrorists who were found to be preparing an attack in the Operation Euphrates Shield region, were successfully neutralized in successful operations by our heroic commandos," the ministry said on Twitter.

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

It added that the operations will continue uninterrupted.

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: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

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