One Turkish soldier was killed in an attack carried out by the PKK terrorist group's Syrian affiliate People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria's Azaz region, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Three other soldiers were injured when the YPG staged a mortar attack on a Turkish military convoy passing by the Maranez village, the Defense Ministry's public relations department said in a statement, noting that the Turkish military immediately responded with retaliatory fire.

The Defense Ministry offered condolences to the family of the fallen soldier.

Turkish Armed Forces and their allies the Free Syrian Army (FSA) cleared Syria's Al-Bab and Jarablus from Daesh terrorists in Operation Euphrates Shield, launched in August 2016.

The Turkish military and the FSA also cleared the YPG elements from northern Syria's Afrin during Operation Olive Branch launched in January 2018.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children.