ANKARA 

Turkish security forces in the past 24 hours neutralized eight terrorists attempting to infiltrate into the area of Turkey’s anti-terror Peace Spring Operation in northern Syria, an official statement said on Saturday.

The National Defense Ministry said in a Twitter statement that commando units eliminated the infiltration attempt, and a total of eight YPG/PKK terrorists were neutralized.

The statement said the Turkish army would not allow terrorists to disrupt the peace and security atmosphere of the region.

Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria since 2016 to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian branch./aa