ANKARA: Turkiye’s military has successfully neutralized 11 members of the YPG, the US-backed affiliate of the PKK terrorist group, in northern Syria, the Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The YPG terrorists, aligned with the PKK, were reportedly planning an attack in the Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield regions of northern Syria when they were targeted and eliminated by Turkiye’s military forces. The Defense Ministry emphasized its commitment to responding with equal force to thwart terrorist attacks.
In recent months, Turkiye has intensified airstrikes and counterterrorism operations in northern Syria and Iraq, where PKK/YPG terrorists have demonstrated increased aggression. The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, Britain, and the European Union, has been responsible for over 40,000 civilian and security personnel deaths during its nearly four-decade-long campaign of terrorism in Turkiye.
Turkiye Operations Against PKK in Northern Iraq
As the PKK faced significant pressure within Turkiye, it shifted a substantial portion of its operations to northern Iraq, particularly in the Qandil Mountains. Turkiye regularly conducts operations against the PKK in northern Iraq, but the group has also engaged in conflict with the YPG in northern Syria, where it seized control of resource-rich provinces after exploiting a power vacuum created by the civil war.
Since 2016, Turkiye has executed three successful counterterrorism operations in northern Syria to prevent the establishment of a terrorist corridor and facilitate the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).
Despite Ankara’s warnings to its NATO ally, the United States has provided material support to the YPG, strengthening its presence in regions like Deir el-Zour province, known for Syria’s largest oil wells. This has strained Turkish-US relations, as Turkiye emphasizes the threat to its national security posed by supporting terrorist elements.
The Defense Ministry reported that since January 1, 2023, the YPG has carried out 560 attacks within Turkiye’s counterterrorism operations in Syria, resulting in the neutralization of 1,605 terrorists. In late January, reports suggested the White House was considering a full withdrawal from Syria, potentially easing tensions between Washington and Ankara.
