Some 1,865 terrorists ‘neutralized’ in 2021: Ministry

ANKARA

Turkey has carried out 22 military operations within the country and across the border in one month, while a total of 18,455 “terrorists have been neutralized,” since July 24, 2015, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Sept. 5.

A total of 1865 terrorists have been “neutralized,” since the beginning of this year, Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Pinar Kara said at a press conference.

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

A total of 244 terrorists have been killed so far in the Pençe-Şimşek and Pençe-Yıldırım operations carried out in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions in northern Iraq since April, she stated.

Kara stated that physical security systems supported by technological means have been established at the borders, within the scope of preventing smuggling and the influx of irregular illegal migrants and increasing effectiveness in the fight against terrorists.

“Thanks to the measures, in the last month, 13,769 people who tried to cross all our borders illegally were caught and 25,186 people were prevented from crossing the border,” Kara said.

The illegal PKK group often hides out in northern Iraq just across Turkey’s southern border to plot terror attacks in Turkey.

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