Scores of PKK fighters 'neutralized' in Iraq, Syria

Shafaq News/ The Turkish military said it has "neutralized" scores of anti-Ankara fighters in cross-border operations in Iraq and Syria.

According to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, a Turkish drone "neutralized a fighter of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Avasin, Northern Iraq."

"Turkish forces located two terrorists from the YBG, the PKK Syrian arm, targeting the operation area of Peace Spring," it added, "Turkish Commandos were able to "neutralize" them.

This morning, the Turkish Anadolu Agency quoted the Turkish Ministry of Defense saying that its forces "neutralized" nine PKK fighters in the Gara area.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralized" to imply the fighters in question surrendered, or were killed, or captured.

Turkey has carried out a series of offensives since 2019 against anti-Ankara groups in the Kurdistan Region, particularly the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The latest operations are Pençe-Şimşek and Pençe-Yıldırım launched this April in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions. Earlier, Turkey launched Operations Pençe-Kaplan and Pençe-Kartal in June 2020.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of operations across its border in the Kurdistan Region: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

In its over 35 year span, the conflict between Turkey and the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has resulted in the deaths of at least 40,000 people. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.