Turkish security forces on Monday launched another counterterrorism operation in the country's east, the Interior Ministry said.
The operation, called the Eren Abluka-32 (Bitlis-Van-Azapsarı) Martyr Security Guard Ekrem Akkaya Operation, started in the province of Bitlis with 520 security personnel, said a ministry statement.
The operation aims to completely eliminate terrorism in the country, it added.
Turkey initiated Eren operations last year, naming them after Eren Bülbül, a 15-year-old boy killed by the PKK terrorist group on Aug. 11, 2017.
Turkish security forces regularly conduct counterterrorism operations in the eastern and southeastern provinces of Turkey, where the PKK has attempted to establish a stronghold.
Security forces also carry out operations abroad where the terrorist organization poses a threat. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) regularly conduct cross-border operations in northern Iraq, a region where PKK terrorists have hideouts and bases from which to carry out attacks against Turkey as well as in northern Syria.
Turkish security forces also eliminated two PKK terrorists near the Turkish border in northern Iraq, the Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The terrorists were targeted in the Operation Claw-Lock zone, the ministry said on Twitter.
"Our struggle will continue resolutely until the last terrorist is neutralized," it added.
Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
Turkey launched Operation Claw-Lock in April to target the PKK terrorist organization's hideouts in Iraq's northern Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions, near the Turkish border.
It was initiated after Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle to root out terrorists hiding in northern Iraq and plotting cross-border attacks in Turkey.
Turkish security forces also eliminated at least 13 YPG terrorists from the PKK's Syrian branch in northern Syria near the Turkish border, authorities said on Sunday.
The terrorists opened fire and attempted to attack Turkey's Operation Olive Branch and Operation Peace Spring zones before they were targeted, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).
Turkey also vowed a new operation against the YPG terrorists that control swathes of territory near the Turkish border. Among the potential targets are Manbij and Tal Rifaat.
Local people living in areas held by the YPG have long suffered from its atrocities, as the terrorist organization has a notorious record of human rights abuses, ranging from kidnappings, recruitment of child soldiers, torture, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement in Syria. The YPG has forced young people from areas under its control to join its forces within the so-called "compulsory conscription in the duty of self-defense."
In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.
