Over 3,000 terrorists 'neutralized' in 2024: Spokesperson

ANKARA

Turkish forces "neutralized" more than 3,000 terrorists over the past year as part of ongoing military operations, Defense Ministry spokesperson Zeki Aktürk announced on Jan. 2.

"Our struggle will continue uninterruptedly until the last terrorist is no longer a threat to our country," Aktürk told reporters during a press briefing in the capital Ankara.

In the past week alone, 49 terrorists were "neutralized," Aktürk said, without specifying the organizations they were affiliated with.

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

Over the year, Turkish operations led to the neutralization of 3,070 terrorists, including 1,579 in northern Syria and 1,491 in northern Iraq, he said. Additionally, 107 terrorists surrendered in 2024.

Turkish forces "detected caves of terrorists with multiple sections containing weapons, ammunition and living supplies" within the Claw-Lock operation region in northern Iraq, he said.

The Claw operations launched in April 2022 are a series of Turkish counterterrorism efforts aimed at eliminating PKK hideouts in Iraq's northern regions near the border.

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

Turning to Syria, Aktürk discussed the ongoing transition following the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad government.

Meanwhile, ministry sources said Turkish-backed Syrian National Army forces continue to clash with PKK and YPG. Ankara considers YPG the Syrian extension of PKK.

"In this context, we will continue to cooperate and coordinate closely with our counterparts to ensure Syria’s territorial integrity, political unity, security and stability without compromising the fight against terrorism," the sources told local media.

"We, as the Turkish Armed Forces, are acting with the principle of 'less talk more work' in Syria."

They reaffirmed Türkiye's stance to the new Syrian administration that “there is no room for terrorist organizations" in the new period.

Turkish security sources have accused Assad's regime of seeking assistance from PKK and YPG in response to the rapid loss of ground, pledging to prevent them from exploiting the instability.

The SNA has since intensified efforts to block their movements in northern Syria, media reports said. It claims to have thwarted efforts to create a “terror corridor” in northern Syria through operations that severed key routes.