Turkey neutralizes 2 PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Syria

ANKARA

Turkish forces "neutralized" two YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, across Turkey's border, authorities said on Wednesday.

The terrorists attempted to attack the Operation Peace Spring and Operation Euphrates Shield zones, where Turkey carried out a cross-border anti-terror operation in 2019, the National Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

“The hero Mehmetcik (Turkish soldiers) continue to neutralize terrorists who are plotting attacks for their nefarious ambitions,” the ministry said.

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).

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