Türkiye 'neutralises' scores of PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Iraq, Syria

The Turkish Armed Forces neutralised 13 PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Iraq and northern Syria, the National Defence Ministry has said.

According to the ministry's statement on X, six terrorists were neutralised in northern Iraq, and the remaining seven were neutralised in the Euphrates Shield region in northern Syria.

The ministry further stated that terrorists cannot escape "the inevitable fate that awaits them."

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralise" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured. PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye.

More than 40,000 people killed

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday reiterated that Türkiye is resolute in its fight against terrorism.

"We maintain our will to create a 30-40 kilometre deep security corridor along our Syrian border. We are determined to fill with new steps the gaps in this corridor, part of which we have already established with our previous operations," he said.

"As we have openly told them in person, we call on all in the region to respect this security strategy of ours. Otherwise, they themselves will be the reason of potential tensions," he added.

Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations since 2016 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 the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.