ANKARA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Defense Ministry said on Saturday that a total of 2,442 terrorists were "neutralized" by Turkish forces in 2018.
Some 74 senior members are among the "neutralized" terrorists, according to the ministry.
Turkish authorities use the word "neutralize" in their statements to imply that the terrorists either surrendered or were killed or captured.
Meanwhile, 88 members of Turkish security forces were killed in anti-terror operations over last year, the ministry said.
Since 2016, Turkey has conducted two cross-border operations in Syria to clear Islamic State (IS) militants and Syrian Kurdish militia, which Ankara considers as outlawed separatists, of the border area.
The ministry said that Turkish army neutralized 3,000 and 4,608 terrorists respectively during the two operations.
