The Ministry of National Defense announced on Wednesday that 41 terrorists were “neutralized” in Syria’s north by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The ministry said armed drones were employed in the operations targeting the “so-called barracks” of the terrorist group PKK/YPG and other places used as shelters in Tal Rifat and Manbij regions.
The ministry said the raid was the next stage of operations launched by the army following the terrorist group’s rocket attacks targeting a Turkish-Syrian border crossing over the weekend in Türkiye’s Kilis. The statement said it was likely that terrorists who launched the attacks on Kilis were among those “neutralized,” a term used to describe terrorists killed or captured in the operations. Overall, the number of terrorists eliminated since the weekend attack reached 53.
"We will continue to bury these terrorists in the very pits they have dug," the ministry said in its statement. It reiterated Ankara's commitment to eradicating the threat posed by terrorist groups, and said the PKK/YPG terrorist group continues to be held accountable for its actions in the base areas.
In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. PKK/YPG terrorists hide out in northern Syria, where they plan and carry out attacks on both locals and nearby settlements in Türkiye. Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism 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).
