Turkey ‘neutralizes’ 24 YPG/PKK terrorists in N Syria

ANKARA

Turkish security forces neutralized 24 YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"24 PKK/YPG terrorists, who were attempting to infiltrate the Operation Peace Spring zone were successfully neutralized by our heroic command," the ministry said on Twitter.

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

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terrorist operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable peaceful settlement by locals: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), Peace Spring (2019) and Spring Shield (2020).

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.