ANKARA

Turkey has neutralized 11 YPG/PKK terrorists who attempted to infiltrate into its anti-terror operation zone in northern Syria, the National Defense Ministry announced Thursday.

"Eleven PKK/YPG terrorists, who opened fire and attempted to infiltrate into the Operation Peace Spring and Operation Euphrates Shield regions to disrupt peace and security, were neutralized by our heroic commandos through land fire support vehicles," it said on Twitter.

A video footage of the operation was also shared on the micro-blogging website.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and to enable the peaceful settlement of residents: 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 PKK's Syrian offshoot.