By Ahmet Sertan Usul
ANKARA (AA) – Turkey arrested a total of three terrorists in northern Syria, near Turkey's southern border, the National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry said in a statement that two YPG/PKK terrorists were arrested in the Operation Olive Branch zone and one Daesh terrorist in the Operation Euphrates Shield zone.
Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terrorist operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable peaceful settlement by locals: 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 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.
Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Daesh/ISIS as a terror group in 2013.
The country has since been attacked by Daesh terrorists numerous times, including in 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings and four armed attacks which killed 315 people and injured hundreds.
*Writing by Gozde Bayar
