ANKARA, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces "neutralized" two members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG) in northern Syria, Türkiye's Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The ministry said in a statement that the YPG members were killed after being detected in the region where Türkiye launched its "Operation Euphrates Shield."
Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralize" in their statements to imply the alleged "terrorists" have either surrendered, been killed, or have been captured.
The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria in order to create a YPG-free zone along its border with the neighboring country.
Türkiye sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades. ■
