Turkish intelligence nabs 9 YPG/PKK terrorists in Syria

ANKARA

Turkish National Intelligence Service (MIT) on Friday brought to Turkey nine YPG/PKK terrorists, who were behind the attack that martyred two Turkish soldiers during Operation Olive Branch in northern Syria, according to Hatay governor.

The terrorists were caught in a joint operation by MIT and the Turkish gendarmerie forces in Syria's Afrin city and brought to southern Hatay province, Erdal Ata said at a news conference.

They were involved Jan. 23, 2018 terror attack in Rajo area of Afrin that left Lt. Oguz Kaan Usta and Specialist Sergeant Mehmet Muratdagi martyred.

The terrorists had taken away with them the body of the lieutenant which could only be found after 58 days.

Ata said the terrorists were caught in accordance with the confession of a Syrian national PKK terrorist, who was identified by the initials M.C. and arrested by Turkish security forces on Sept. 3, in Rajo.

"We know that there are other names involved in the incident. We will do whatever necessary [to get them]," Ata said.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin. On March 18, Turkish troops and the Free Syrian Army liberated the Afrin district center.

The Turkish Intelligence Agency on Wednesday brought Yusuf Nazik -- a key plotter of the 2013 Reyhanli attack -- from the Syrian port city of Latakia to Turkey.

Nazik, 34, who was marked in the blue category of the Interior Ministry's wanted list, confessed that on a from Syrian intelligence units, he scouted the crime scene prior to the attack and moved explosives from Syria to Turkey.

Reporting by Sibel Ugurlu; Writing by Sibel Ugurlu and Fatih Hafiz Mehmet