Turkiye 'neutralizes' 5 PKK terrorists in northern Syria, Iraq

By Burak Dag

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish security forces "neutralized" five PKK terrorists in northern regions of Syria and Iraq, across Turkiye's border, authorities said Monday.

Four YPG/PKK terrorists were neutralized after they opened harassing fire on the Operation Peace Spring zone in northern Syria, the National Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

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

Meanwhile, a Turkish airstrike neutralized one PKK terrorist in Operation Pence-Kaplan zone in northern Iraq, the ministry added.

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq, across Turkiye's southern border, to plan terrorist attacks in Turkiye.

The Pence operations are a series of offensives Turkiye has carried out since 2019 against terrorist groups in northern Iraq, particularly the PKK.

Operations Pence-Kaplan and Pence-Kartal were initiated in June 2020 in Sinjar, Qandil, Haftanin, and Zap regions, while Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim were launched last April in Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions.

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

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