Turkish Army neutralizes 4 PKK members in Syria

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced the neutralization of four members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Syria.

The ministry stated on X that the PKK members “opened harassing fire to disrupt the peace and security environment in the Peace Spring region in northern Syria.”

Earlier today, the Turkish ministry revealed in another statement that “as a result of air operations conducted in northern Iraq between January 29 and February 7, 2025, a total of 11 PKK terrorists were neutralized, including 7 in the Gara region and 4 in the Hakurk region.”

The term "neutralized" is commonly used by Turkish officials to indicate that individuals have been killed, captured, or have surrendered.

Turkish forces, in cooperation with the Syrian National Army, have carried out several military operations in northern Syria, including Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, and Operation Peace Spring in 2019, targeting ISIS and the PKK.

Since the start of summer 2024, the Turkish military has intensified operations in the region, targeting PKK positions and fortifications in the Matin Mountain range with warplanes and drones. In response, PKK fighters have stayed entrenched in caves and mountain shelters, hindering the success of Turkish operations.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been engaged in an armed struggle against the Turkish state since the 1980s, seeking greater autonomy for the Kurdish population in Turkiye. This decades-long conflict has led to tens of thousands of deaths, with Turkiye conducting cross-border military operations to target PKK strongholds in Iraq and YPG positions in Syria, both of which Ankara views as extensions of the PKK.