Türkiye 'neutralizes' 22 terrorists in northern Iraq, Syria operation in 2 days

By Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces have "neutralized" 22 PKK/YPG terrorists in the last two days as part of its cross-border operation in northern Iraq and Syria, the national defense minister said Saturday.

"A total of 22 terrorists were neutralized yesterday and today, 10 of them in northern Iraq and 12 in northern Syria," the ministry said on Twitter.

Türkiye's operations against PKK/YPG terrorists uninterruptedly continue in northern Iraq and Syria, it added.

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

Recently, Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Sword in northern Iraq and Syria, a cross-border aerial campaign against the PKK/YPG terror group, which has illegal hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan and sometimes execute attacks on Turkish soil.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.