ANKARA
At least 15 YPG/PKK and Daesh/ISIS terrorists, including six senior operatives, were captured by Turkish security forces in northern Syria, the Turkish Interior Ministry said on Sunday.
In coordination with Syria Task Force Al-Bab and Jarablus Gendarmerie Advisory Command, Türkiye’s Gaziantep Provincial Gendarmerie Command determined that the so-called action units of Daesh/ISIS and YPG/PKK terror groups have been providing training on suicide bombing, sabotage, improvised explosive devices, assassination and intelligence to members of the terror groups.
It was also determined that the terrorists were in search of crossing into Türkiye illegally.
In the operations carried out on Sept. 29 in Syria’s Al-Bab and Jarablus, at least 11 Daesh/ISIS and four YPG/PKK terrorists were captured.
During the operation, Kalashnikov rifles, pistols, 570 cartridges, shotguns, binoculars, steel vests and numerous digital materials were seized.
In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist group.
The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.
In response, Türkiye launched operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks, including several counter-terrorist operations such as Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.
