At least nine terrorists killed in cross-border op

ISTANBUL/ESKİŞEHİR

Turkish forces “neutralized” at least nine YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, across Turkey’s border, authorities said yesterday.

According to the Defense Ministry, the terrorists attempted to attack the Operation Peace Spring zone, where Turkey carried out a cross-border operation in 2019.

It said on Twitter that Turkish commandos had prevented an attempted attack by YPG/PKK terrorists, neutralizing nine of them in the process.

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

Meanwhile, a Turkish soldier who was killed on Feb. 2 in a mortar attack staged by the PKK in northern Iraq was laid to rest in a ceremony.

Hundreds of mourners and high-ranking officials, as well as representatives of opposition parties, attended funeral ceremony held in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir to bid farewell to Pvt. Tarık Tarcan.

Yalçın was buried in the Vişnelik Air Cemetery after a prayer held at Reşadiye Mosque.

It has been reported that Tarcan is a mining engineer who graduated from Eskişehir Osmangazi University in 2019 and had 20 days until his discharge from his military service.

The PKK often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey’s southern border, to hide out and plot terror attacks.