Türkiye neutralises 65 PKK/YPG terrorists in past week

Turkish security forces “neutralised” 65 PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Iraq and northern Syria over the past week, the country’s National Defence Ministry has said.

“Sixty-five terrorists were neutralised in the past week. Thus, the total number of terrorists neutralised in northern Iraq and Syria since January 1 has reached 1,828,” Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk, the ministry’s spokesman, said at a weekly news conference in the capital Ankara on Thursday.

Notably, one PKK terrorist from northern Iraq surrendered to Türkiye’s border post in Habur last week, Akturk added.

Turkish authorities use the term “neutralise” to imply that the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Akturk also said 394 people, including 15 members of terrorist groups, were nabbed while attempting to cross the border illegally over the past week, while 1,370 others were prevented from crossing. “

The number of people apprehended while attempting to cross our borders illegally since January 1, 2024, has risen to 9,067, and the number of people prevented from crossing the border has reached 72,082,” he said.​​​​​​​

In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, infants, and the elderly. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.