At least six PKK terrorists were “neutralized” in air operations carried out in northern Iraq on Saturday, according to the Turkish military.
Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.
In a statement, the Turkish General Staff said that the terrorists, preparing for an attack on Turkish bases, were “neutralized” by airstrikes carried out in the Zap region.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children.
U.S.-led air strikes destroyed much of Syria's Raqqa while crushing Daesh last year, but the coalition has done little to help it recover, rights group Amnesty International said on Friday.Nearly a year after the battle, 80 percent of the city is in ruins and thousands of bodies lie in the rubble, with funding to recover them poised to run out, said Anya Neistat, Amnesty's senior director of global research."It's absolutely shocking in Raqqa how little over this last year has actually been done to bring life back to the city," she said at a news conference in Beirut after visiting Raqqa."The coalition, given that they have the money to carry out this very, very expensive military campaign, should have enough money to work with its consequences," she added.Daesh made it hard to take the city without killing civilians, blending in with the local population and using car bombs as they retreated from street to street.In final tweets, Khashoggi alluded to Palestine, SyriaBy the time the campaign ended, entire districts lay in ruins, Reuters reporters covering the battle said."30,000 houses in Raqqa have been completely destroyed and 25,000 are partially destroyed," said Neistat.So far about 2,500 bodies have been dug from the rubble."To the extent that they are able to identify the bodies, they believe that the majority of them are civilians. And the majority of these civilians have died as a result of coalition air strikes," she said.Turkey to 'do whatever is necessary' regarding Syria's Manbij: Erdoğan"Nobody knows what's going to happen to the 3,000 bodies that still lie in the ground come 31 October when the funding for this team runs out," she said.The coalition says it works on stabilisation in Raqqa, not reconstruction."The number's around 3 million people liberated, which is a good thing. There was a lot of damage. I don't think the problem lies with coalition countries not wanting to help," said Colonel Sean Ryan, the coalition spokesman.He pointed to coalition countries not being able to work with the Damascus government, which opposes their presence, as an obstacle to channelling help.US sends 500 trucks of arms to PKK/YPG terrorists in a weekAmnesty in June said coalition strikes may have broken international law, which it denied. The coalition says it worked hard to avoid deaths and is transparent in its efforts to investigate.People in Raqqa said their main priority was education after suffering years of Daesh rule, but the few schools that had reopened were heavily overcrowded and riddled with war damage, Neistat said.
US-led coalition must do more for Syria's smashed Raqqa: Amnesty International
The People’s Protection Units (YPG), which is the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has not left Syria's Manbij, and Turkey will do what is necessary, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday.The terrorist group has completed the construction of trenches and embankments in areas surrounding the entire city center as if it has no intention of leaving. "They are now digging trenches in Manbij. What does this mean? It means 'we've prepared the graves, come and bury us'," Erdoğan said at a rally in southern Turkey.US sends 500 trucks of arms to PKK/YPG terrorists in a week"They said they would abandon the area in 90 days, but they haven't. We will do what is necessary."The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. was inked in June this year on the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the city to stabilize the region, which is in the northeast of the Aleppo province in northern Syria."There is no room for terrorists in Turkey's future," Erdoğan said.Turkish security forces "cause great distress" to terrorist organizations, Erdoğan added.Turkey pledges to launch a military operation against YPG/PKK in the strategically important city on Manbij that lies west of the Euphrates River in northern Syria, as part of Operation Olive Branch. Manbij lies northeast of Aleppo but just south of the Turkish border.Washington has claimed the YPG is a “reliable ally” in the fight against Daesh, while Ankara has pointed to its status as an offshoot of the PKK, a recognized terrorist group which has taken some 40,000 lives in Turkey.The YPG/PKK terror group is also in the midst of a military buildup along Manbij's border with areas liberated by Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016-2017.Turkish army 'neutralizes' 38 terrorists over past week
Turkey to 'do whatever is necessary' regarding Syria's Manbij: Erdoğan
The U.S. administration has supplied terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)’s Syrian affiliate, the YPG, with a total of 500 trucks of arms in Syria’s Manbij in the past week alone, despite a deal between Ankara and Washington for the withdrawal of the terror group from the city.The Manbij roadmap between Turkey and the U.S. was agreed upon in June this year on the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the city to stabilize the region, which is in the northeast of the Aleppo province in northern Syria.On Tuesday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the joint training of U.S. and Turkish soldiers for patrols in Manbij had begun.US supplies construction vehicles to YPG/PKK in ManbijTurkey will soon destroy terror nests in eastern Euphrates, says ErdoğanTerrorists dig trenches with American construction vehiclesThe trucks, carrying four construction vehicles which were transported to Manbij, escorted by the U.S soldiers, allows the terrorists to continue digging up trenches and build embankments around the city center.The U.S. also had reportedly shipped M984A4 Recovery Trucks (wrecker), produced by the Oshkosh Defense, to YPG/PKK terrorists.Defense experts predict that these vehicles will be used for fortifications.The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.Turkish army 'neutralizes' 38 terrorists over past weekPentagon provides Lenco BearCat armored vehicles to terroristsThe U.S.-led international coalition on Thursday also approved that more than 300 truckloads of arms and military materials have been delivered to Syria’s Qamishli for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is made up of YPG terrorists.The U.S. has additionally transferred at least two Lenco BearCat armored vehicles to the SDF as part of coalition aid.The SDF will allegedly use these vehicles for patrolling in rural areas and city centers.Lenco tactical response and rescue vehicles, manufactured by the Massachusetts-based Lenco Industries, are capable of carrying 12 military personnel.
US sends 500 trucks of arms to PKK/YPG terrorists in a week
The Turkish army "neutralized" 38 PKK terrorists on Turkish soil and in northern Iraq over the past week, the military said on Friday.Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.In a weekly statement, the Turkish General Staff said the army conducted anti-terror operations in Turkey’s eastern and southeastern provinces of Sirnak, Siirt, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Van and Agri, as well as in regions of northern Iraq on Oct. 5-12.The statement noted that 11 terrorists were neutralized on Turkish soil, while 27 others were neutralized in northern Iraq.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.Separately, the military said that since the launch of Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s Afrin region, a total of 4,585 terrorists have been neutralized.Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from northwestern Afrin. On March 18, Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army liberated the Afrin district center.Turkey's war on drugs in 2018 strikes major blow to PKKTurkish jets hit terrorist PKK targets in N.IraqUS supplies construction vehicles to YPG/PKK in ManbijPKK/KCK has armed 679 children
Turkish army 'neutralizes' 38 terrorists over past week