Dozens of terrorists neutralised  last week: Türkiye's defence ministry

Turkish Armed Forces' relentless efforts in combating terrorism persist with unwavering determination, Zeki Akturk, the spokesperson of Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence has said, during a press briefing at the ministry.

Akturk highlighted the ongoing operations against various terrorist organisations, including PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG, Daesh, and FETO, both within the country and across borders.

He stated that in the past week alone, 63 terrorists have been neutralised in operations, bringing the total number of terrorists neutralised since January 1, 2023, to 2,541.

Emphasising the success in preventing illegal border crossings, he expressed that in the last week, 188 individuals, including 6 associated with FETO and 1 with Daesh, were apprehended, while 3,441 were stopped from crossing the border illegally.

Since the beginning of 2024, 686 people have been apprehended, and 18,594 have been prevented from illegally crossing the borders, he said.

He reiterated the commitment to maintaining the security and integrity of the nation's borders and the continued efforts against various terrorist threats both domestically and beyond.

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 Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is PKK’s Syrian offshoot.