ANKARA, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces killed four members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq as part of an ongoing cross-border military operation, the defense ministry said Friday.
"Four PKK terrorists, identified by reconnaissance and surveillance in Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq, were neutralized by an air operation," said a ministry statement.
"Our operations will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized," the written statement added.
The Turkish army uses the term "neutralize" to indicate the terrorists who have surrendered, been killed or seized.
In the ongoing operations in Turkey's Cukurca district and Haftanin region in northern Iraq, the Turkish military seized and destroyed three binoculars two of which are of night vision, two grenades, five detonators, two 60-mm mortar rounds, 287 dochka bullets and others, according to the statement.
The ministry also said the army killed four members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria.
"The terror group's attempt to infiltrate the Operation Peace Spring zone with aims to disrupt the peaceful and secure environment was prevented by our heroic commandos. Four YPG/PKK terrorists were neutralized before reaching their aims," the ministry said.
Turkey sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the PKK and launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019 and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in order to create a YPG-free zone along its border within Syria. Enditem
