SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Turkish forces have reportedly eliminated at least 58 Kurdish militants in northern Syria during overnight attacks on militant targets, according to the Defence Ministry.
The escalation in conflict comes nearly a week after a bomb attack in Ankara. Turkey has declared all targets belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) military and the Syrian Kurdish YPG group as “legitimate targets” for its forces, following the PKK’s claim of responsibility for the bombing in Ankara.
Turkey has launched a series of air strikes and attacks against militant targets in northern Syria and Iraq, while also increasing security operations within its own borders.
The Defence Ministry stated that targets belonging to PKK/YPG in specific operation areas were heavily hit throughout the night, resulting in the “neutralization” of at least 58 “terrorists”.
The ministry typically uses the term “neutralized” to mean killed.
Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan has recently reiterated his commitment to ending “terrorism” during a speech at his ruling AK Party’s congress in Ankara, warning that Turkey may take action against militants in Syria and Iraq.
“We will implement our strategy of ending terror at its root with determination, and hold the PKK, FETO, and Daesh to account over every drop of blood they have spilled,” he said, referring to Islamic State and the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating a failed coup attempt in July 2016.
Turkey lists the YPG as a terrorist organization and says it is indistinguishable from the PKK, which has fought an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.
The United States and European Union deem the PKK a “terrorist organization”, but not the YPG.
The YPG is at the heart of the SDF forces in the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State militants. U.S. support for them has long caused tension with Turkey.
Underscoring the tension, the United States on Thursday shot down an armed Turkish drone that was operating near its troops in Syria, the first time Washington has brought down an aircraft of NATO ally Turkey.
Ankara and Washington held a series of calls following the incident, with Turkey saying non-conflict mechanisms with the parties on the ground would be improved, but vowing to continue hitting militants in Syria and Iraq.
Turkey, which has mounted several incursions into northern Syria against the YPG, has said a ground operation into Syria is an option it could consider.
*This story was updated at 1520 EBL time
