Turkey 'neutralizes' 2 terrorists in northern Syria

By Muhammed Ali Toruntay

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces "neutralized" two terrorists in northern Syria, near its border, the National Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.

Security forces neutralized one Daesh/ISIS terrorist in the Operation Olive Branch area, and one YPG/PKK terrorist in the Operation Peace Spring zone, the ministry said in a statement.

The terrorists, who were plotting an attack, were neutralized before they could reach their treacherous ambitions, it added.

Turkey resolutely continues its fight against PKK/YPG and Daesh/ISIS terror groups, it stressed.

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 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).

In its more than 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 40,000 people including women, children, and infants.

In 2013, Turkey became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist group.

The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.

In response, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar