ANKARA

Turkish security forces “neutralized” 65 PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Iraq and northern Syria over the past week, the country’s National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

“Sixty-five terrorists were neutralized in the past week. Thus, the total number of terrorists neutralized in northern Iraq and Syria since Jan. 1 has reached 1,828,” Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk, the ministry’s spokesman, said at a weekly news conference in the capital Ankara.

Notably, one PKK terrorist from northern Iraq surrendered to Türkiye’s border post in Habur last week, Akturk added.

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

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

Akturk also said 394 people, including 15 members of terrorist groups, were nabbed while attempting to cross the border illegally over the past week, while 1,370 others were prevented from crossing.

“The number of people apprehended while attempting to cross our borders illegally since Jan. 1, 2024, has risen to 9,067, and the number of people prevented from crossing the border has reached 72,082,” he said.​​​​​​​

*Writing by Gozde Bayar