UPDATE 2 – 11 terrorists ‘neutralized’ in northern Iraq, Syria, SE Turkey

CHANGES SPOT, DECK, LEDE; ADDS NEUTRALIZATION OF 5 MORE TERRORISTS

By Merve Aydogan, Sertac Bulur and Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) – Eleven terrorists were neutralized by Turkish security operations as part of counter-terrorism efforts at home and near the border, Turkish officials said on Tuesday.

At least two YPG/PKK terrorists were neutralized by Turkish security forces in northern Iraq, across the Turkish border, Turkey’s National Defense Ministry said.

The terrorists were neutralized in the Operation Pence-Simsek region in northern Iraq, the ministry said on Twitter.

Another three terrorists were neutralized in the Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch zones in northern Syria, across Turkey’s border, the ministry said in a separate Twitter message.

Separately, two PKK terrorists were neutralized in an operation carried out by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization in the Gara region of northern Iraq as the country's counter-terrorism operations continue, according to security sources.

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

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

The latest ones are the Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim operations launched on April 23 in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish-Iraqi border.

The PKK terror group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to plot terror attacks in Turkey.

The Interior Ministry also announced that three armed terrorists, whose affiliation was not specified, were neutralized in the southeastern Sirnak province as part of Eren-13 operations.

The ministry said in a statement that aerial elements supported the operation, which is still ongoing.

The ministry also announced that in a joint operation, provincial gendarmerie and police teams neutralized one terrorist PKK member along with weapon and ammunition in Dilayan in the eastern Agri province.

"Operations continue in the region," the statement added.

Operation Eren, named after Eren Bulbul, a 15-year-old killed by the terrorist PKK in 2017, began in January to eliminate terrorism in the country.

In its over 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the 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.

Since 2016, Turkey 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).