Turkey neutralizes 6 PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Syria

ANKARA

Turkey neutralized six members of the terrorist group PKK/YPG in northern Syria, across Turkey’s southern border – including one behind a deadly attack on civilians last week – the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

The terrorists were neutralized by Turkish security forces in self-defense in Zavian and Shaalah Tal Cican and Tel Unaib in the Tal Rifat region, the area of Turkey’s counter-terrorism Operation Euphrates Shield, said a ministry statement.

Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

One of the terrorists slain was the perpetrator of an Aug. 5 attack on an ambulance in the region which killed two civilians.

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

Euphrates Shield (2016) is one of the three successful anti-terror operations that Turkey has launched since 2016 across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents. The other two are Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).