Turkish forces 'neutralize' 15 PKK members in north Syria

ANKARA

Turkish security forces have “neutralized” 15 PKK/YPG members in northern Syria near the Turkish border, the Defense Ministry announced on Oct. 27.

They were targeted in areas under Türkiye's Euphrates Shield and Peace Spring operations in northern Syria, the ministry said on X.

“Our operations will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized,” the post read.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the individuals in question surrendered, killed or captured.

PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union.

The Euphrates Shield and Peace Spring operations are among a trio of campaigns launched by Ankara across its border with Syria to "prevent the formation of a terror corridor." The other one was the Olive Branch operation.

Meanwhile, the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has destroyed PKK/YPG 157 sites during operations in northern Syria and Iraq, a security source told local media the day earlier.

The operations followed Oct. 23's attack by PKK on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) premises in the capital Ankara, which killed five people and injured 22 others.

Sources said MİT used domestically-produced defense equipment throughout the operations, including TUSAŞ-manufactured Anka drones.

The assailants arrived at the TUSAŞ premises on the outskirts of Ankara in a taxi they commandeered after killing its driver, reports said.

Armed with assault rifles, they set off explosives and opened fire, killing four people at TUSAŞ, including a security guard and a mechanical engineer.

Security teams were dispatched as soon as the attack started at around 3:30 p.m. The two assailants were also killed and more than 20 people were injured in the attack.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya named the assailants as Mine Sevjin Alçiçek and Ali Örek and identified them as PKK members.

TUSAŞ designs, manufactures and assembles civilian and military aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and other defense industry and space systems.

Its defense systems have been credited as key to Türkiye gaining an upper hand in its fight against PKK and its affiliates.