Turkish Defence Ministry: Over 3,200 terrorists neutralized since January 2024

Since the beginning of 2024, a total of 3,226 terrorists have been neutralized in operations in northern Iraq and Syria, according to Turkish Defence Ministry spokesperson Zeki Aktürk.

"Over the past week, 62 terrorists were neutralized during anti-terror operations in northern Iraq and Syria," Aktürk said on X, Caliber.Az reports.

Irak ve Suriye’nin kuzeyinde icra edilen terörle mücadele operasyonlarıyla; 62’si son bir haftada olmak üzere 1 Ocak 2024’ten bugüne kadar 3 bin 226 terörist etkisiz hâle getirilmiştir.#MillîSavunmaBakanlığı pic.twitter.com/3adtL4fZWG

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) January 16, 2025

"Thus, the total number of terrorists neutralized since January 1, 2024, has reached 3,226."

Additionally, Aktürk highlighted that a significant quantity of weapons and ammunition was seized during operational and search activities in the Pençe-Kilit operation area and Hakurk regions in northern Iraq.

Note that, PKK, a Kurdish separatist organization that has conducted a 40-year-long campaign of terror against Türkiye, is designated as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union. The PKK is responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 individuals, including women, children, and infants. Its Syrian affiliate, the YPG, has been implicated in similar activities.

Taking advantage of the instability in Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the PKK/YPG has sought to establish a "terrorist corridor" along Türkiye's border. This ongoing objective remains a primary motivation behind Turkish military operations in the region, as Türkiye strives to prevent the creation of a hostile and militarized zone near its borders.

By Aghakazim Guliyev