Turkey neutralizes 24 YPG/PKK terrorists in N Syria

ANKARA

Turkish army "neutralized" 24 YPG/PKK terrorists attempting to infiltrate into northern Syrian territories, the Defense Ministry said on March 2.

"17 YPG/PKK terrorists plotting to attack the [Operation] Euphrates Shield region, and 7 YPG/PKK terrorists attempting to infiltrate into [Operation] Olive Branch from Tal Rifat were neutralized following successful operations launched by our heroic commandos," the ministry said on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, the ministry had announced 32 YPG/PKK terrorists were also neutralized upon their attempt to infiltrate into the southern area of "Operation Peace Spring."

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

The U.S.-backed SDF, a group dominated by the YPG, has been controlling some 28 percent of the Syrian territories, including the most of the 911-kilometer-long Syria-Turkey border.

Turkey deems the YPG the Syrian offshoot of the illegal PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization also by the United States and the EU.