Wanted terrorist neutralized in eastern Turkey: Interior Ministry

ANKARA

A wanted terrorist was "neutralized" in a recent domestic anti-terror operation in Van province of eastern Turkey, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

Fidan Kurtpinar, code-named Rojin Amed, was targeted in an air-backed operation by provincial gendarmerie forces as part of Operation Eren on Aug. 19, it said in a statement. Two other terrorists were also neutralized.

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

Operation Eren, named after Eren Bulbul, a 15-year-old killed by the terrorist PKK on Aug. 11, 2017, commenced in January, and aims at eliminating terrorism from the country completely.

A member of a separatist organization, Kurtpinar was on the grey category of the ministry’s wanted list.

The list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and gray.

The affiliation of the terrorist was not specified, but the PKK terror group is active in the area.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.