Nearly 1,000 terrorists 'neutralized' this year, says official

ANKARA

A total of 942 terrorists have been neutralized in various operations conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) since the beginning of the year, the Defense Ministry reported on July 3.

The TKS's fight against all terrorist groups — particularly PKK/KCK/PYD/YPG, ISIL and FETÖ — continues uninterruptedly and with increasing intensity, said Colonel Zeki Aktürk, the ministry's press and public relations consultant, during a press conference on July 3.

"As part of our resolute strategy to eliminate terrorism at its source, 50 terrorists were neutralized in the past week alone, spanning across the north of Iraq and Syria. This brings the total number of terrorists neutralized to 942 since the beginning of the year and 38,285 since July 24, 2015," Aktürk stated.

The army's recent moves also include a major discovery in the Operation Claw-Lock region in Iraq's north, where 15,400 units of anti-aircraft ammunition were seized from a depot — the largest haul of its kind so far, Aktürk added.

The colonel further revealed progress in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal weapon possession. In the last week, security forces confiscated 139 kilograms of drugs and a weapon. Since the start of the year, 4,631 kilograms of drugs, 1,051 assorted drug pills and 24 various weapons have been seized in different operations.

Additionally, measures to secure the nation's borders and prevent illegal crossings remain a top priority, Aktürk said. "This year, 4,468 individuals attempting to cross the borders illegally were apprehended, out of which 347 were identified as terrorists, with 236 affiliated with FETÖ. Moreover, 131,944 people were successfully blocked from unauthorized border crossings."

Regarding regional stability, the TSK continues to work towards restoring peace in Syria, facilitating the safe return of Syrians to their homeland and establishing a normalized environment, he suggested.

Aktürk also elaborated on the army's training and exercises. Since Jan. 1, the TSK has conducted a total of 49 exercises, including 13 NATO exercises, six national exercises, 23 invitational exercises and seven private exercises, he informed.