Turkish security forces ‘neutralize’ five terrorists

By Fahri Aksut

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces neutralized five YPG/PKK terrorists in Sirnak province, the country's interior minister said late Wednesday.

In a tweet, Suleyman Soylu said three terrorists were neutralized in an air-backed operation by the local gendarmerie command in the Bestler Dereler region.

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

Soylu said that in another anti-terror operation, security forces neutralized two terrorists -- one of which was in the orange category of the Interior Ministry’s wanted list -- in Lice district of Diyarbakir province.

The wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and gray.

"The other five terrorists who fled should not think they are lucky. Our heroes are after them," he said.

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