Turkish President: Turkey "Neutralized" 59 PKK Terrorists

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that Turkey has "neutralized" 59 members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) since December 22 as part of continuous operations.

Erdogan highlighted the significant role of Turkey's operations in Iraq and Syria in combating terrorism within its borders.

Emphasizing the commitment to "one nation, one flag, one homeland, one state," Erdogan outlined this as a red line for national survival. He underscored that Turkey's operations beyond its borders are aimed at preventing terrorists from infiltrating and posing a threat to the homeland.

Turkish intelligence has carried out operations targeting PKK infrastructure and leaders in northern Syria, leading to the elimination of 70 crucial facilities, such as oil refineries, affiliated with the PKK group, as highlighted by Erdogan.

Additionally, Erdogan mentioned that Turkey has built extensive road networks in northern Iraq over the past few years, establishing permanent base areas.

The recent Turkish operations were a response to a PKK attack that resulted in the loss of 12 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq.

Turkey has undertaken multiple effective anti-terror operations along its border in northern Syria since 2016, including Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).