ANKARA, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) "neutralized" a senior member of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in a cross-border operation in northern Syria, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Thursday.
Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralize" in their statements to imply the alleged "terrorists" have either surrendered, been killed, or been captured.
The "neutralized" YPG member Fahrettin Tolun, code-named Hayri Serhat, was wanted with a red notice from Interpol, Anadolu quoted anonymous intelligence sources as saying.
Tolun was in the Rmelan region of northern Syria and was allegedly responsible for supplying heavy weapons to the group, according to the sources.
The YPG member had been active in supplying heavy weapons to the YPG in Syria, Iran and Iraq since 1992, said the report.
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 the Turkish border with the neighboring country. The Turkish intelligence has also intensified cross-border operations in Iraq and Syria.
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. ■
