ANKARA

To prevent the terrorist group from falling apart further, senior YPG/PKK terrorists have banned the use of cellphones, said Turkish security sources on Tuesday.

Terrorists wanting to leave the terrorist group and are in touch by cellphone with their families began to surrender to Turkish security forces, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Seeking to stem defections, senior terrorists banned cellphones for its members in Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, said the sources.

The terrorist YPG/PKK is already on its last legs thanks to Turkey's successful anti-terror operations.

Over the last two years, anti-terror operations against terror groups such as the YPG/PKK and Daesh/ISIS have risen 150% in rural areas of Turkey.

Turkey has neutralized many top YPG/PKK terrorists and crippled its supply lines, along with seizing many weapons, ammunition, and other material.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Due to the anti-terror operations, communications have been cut between the terrorists in rural areas and senior terrorists at bases, leaving the rural members without a sense of belonging to the terror group, which leads to more defections.

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 deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut