ANKARA, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces have "neutralized" a total of 12 "terrorists" in military operations in northern Iraq and northern Syria, the country's Defense Ministry said Friday.

The forces killed three members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in the "Operation Euphrates Shield" and "Operation Olive Branch" zones of the Turkish military in northern Syria, the ministry said in a statement.

In a separate operation in the Gara and Hakurk regions in northern Iraq, a total of nine members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were "neutralized," the statement said.

Since the beginning of the year, the Turkish forces have "neutralized" a total of 1,299 PKK members in Iraq, and 1,206 YPG militants in Syria, Admiral Zeki Akturk, press and public relations consultant of the Defense Ministry, told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" in their statements to indicate that the "terrorists" in question have either surrendered, been killed, or captured.

Türkiye considers the YPG group to be the PKK's Syrian branch.

Since 2016, Türkiye has launched anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to create a YPG-free zone, namely Euphrates Shield in 2016, Olive Branch in 2018, and Peace Spring in 2019 and 2020.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.

Turkish forces frequently carry out cross-border operations targeting PKK militants in northern Iraq, with a particular focus on the Qandil Mountains, a stronghold of the group. Enditem

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