Turkish security forces kill 36 terrorists in cross-border ops

Turkish security forces killed 36 terrorists in cross-border missions during the past week, according to a Turkish National Defense Ministry official on Thursday. 

Zeki Akturk, the ministry's press and public relations consultant, emphasized the continued determined effort of the Turkish Armed Forces against various terrorist groups, including PKK, Daesh, and FETO. 

Akturk disclosed that the tally of terrorists killed since Jan. 1 has now reached 519, with 204 in northern Iraq and 315 in northern Syria. 

He highlighted that 161 individuals, including 11 terrorists, were apprehended while attempting to illegally cross the borders in the past week, with 1,571 others prevented from doing so. 

Regarding Türkiye's humanitarian assistance to Gaza, Akturk mentioned that an A400M military transport aircraft delivered an additional 8.3 tons of medical supplies to the region on March 4. He added that 19 aircraft from the Turkish Air Force have transported nearly 250 tons of humanitarian aid materials to Gaza thus far. 

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the death of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian branch. 

Türkiye was among the first nations to designate Daesh as a terrorist organization in 2013. Since then, the country has been targeted by the group in multiple attacks, resulting in over 300 fatalities and numerous injuries from suicide bombings, bomb attacks, and armed assaults. 

In response to these threats, Türkiye initiated counterterrorism operations both domestically and internationally to prevent further attacks. 

FETO, led by Fethullah Gulen based in the U.S., orchestrated the failed coup on July 15, 2016, resulting in 252 deaths and 2,734 injuries in Türkiye. 

Source: AA