The Turkish military killed 21 Kurdish militants in northern Syria and Iraq, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.
The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States, began its armed insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984 © Mena Today
The Turkish military killed 21 Kurdish militants in northern Syria and Iraq, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the ministry reported that 20 Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Syrian Kurdish YPG militants, who were preparing to launch an attack, were killed in northern Syria, while one militant was killed in northern Iraq.
"Our operations will continue effectively and resolutely," the ministry added.
The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States, began its armed insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984.
The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives.
Turkey regards the YPG, the leading force within the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as an extension of the PKK and similarly classifies it as a terrorist group.
Following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, Ankara has repeatedly insisted that the YPG must disband, asserting that the group has no place in Syria's future.
The operations on Wednesday come amid ongoing hostilities in northeastern Syria between Turkey-backed Syrian factions and the YPG.
Ankara routinely conducts cross-border airstrikes and military operations targeting the PKK, which maintains bases in the mountainous regions of northern Iraq.
Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu
During a visit to the Ramtha Border Crossing with Syria’s Daraa province on Thursday, Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya, assessed the facilities and reported an uptick in passenger and truck traffic at the Jaber Border Crossing.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced on Thursday that Syria’s newly installed leader, Ahmad al-Shara—previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani—has affirmed the long-standing and strategic nature of the relationship between Syria and Russia.
Lebanon said on Thursday it was looking forward to having the best neighbourly relations with Syria, in its first official message to the new administration in Damascus.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.