Turkiye ‘neutralizes’ 4 YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, Iraq

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish forces “neutralized” four YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria and northern Iraq, border areas which terrorists hostile to Turkiye use as hideouts, the National Defense Ministry said Sunday.

Three terror members were targeted during attempts to attack the Operation Pence-Simsek zone in northern Iraq, the ministry said on Twitter.

One more terrorist was neutralized in the Operation Peace Spring zone in northern Syria, the statement added.

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

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).

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

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 over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.​​​​​​​