26 PKK/YPG terrorists neutralized: Ministry

ANKARA

A total of 26 PKK/YPG terrorists who were preparing to attack the Operation Peace Spring and Operation Euphrates Shield zones have been neutralized, the Defense Ministry has announced.

“Eighteen PKK/YPG terrorists have been neutralized by our Turkish Armed Forces in the Euphrates Shield zone,” the ministry said in a social media post.

“Our operations will continue without slowing down,” it added.

The ministry also announced that eight more PKK/YPG terrorists who were preparing to attack in the Operation Peace Spring zone were neutralized.

To clear the region of PKK/YPG terrorists, the Euphrates Shield Operation was conducted by Turkish forces in Syria’s Aleppo province between Aug. 24, 2016, and March 29, 2017.

Operation Peace Spring in Aleppo, Hasakah and Raqqa was another cross-border operation Türkiye conducted in northern Syria.

During the rural land search conducted by the gendarmerie and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) in the southern province of Hatay’s Dörtyol district, 32 kilos of C4 and 45 kilos of ammonium nitrate explosives, 17 rocket launcher ammunition, seven hand grenades, 600 infantry rifle ammunition and 30 mechanical detonators belonging to the PKK were seized, the Interior Ministry announced.

The seized materials were safely destroyed.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and the European Union, has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

“Neutralized” is a term used by the Turkish military and officials to indicate terrorists were either killed, wounded, or captured. The ministry ranks those included on the list in five color-coded categories from red (most wanted) to blue, green, orange and grey.