Published January 25,2024
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Türkiye “neutralized” as many as 82 terrorists final week, together with these hiding out throughout the border in Iraq and northern Syria, the National Defense Ministry mentioned on Thursday.
A complete of two,478 terrorists have been neutralized since Jan. 1, 2023, a ministry official instructed reporters within the capital Ankara.
Turkish authorities use the time period “neutralize” to indicate that the terrorists in query surrendered or had been killed or captured.
In its greater than 35-year terror marketing campaign in opposition to Türkiye, the PKK-listed as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the US, and EU-has been chargeable for the deaths of over 40,000 folks, together with girls, kids, and infants. The YPG is its Syrian department.
PKK/YPG terrorists usually conceal out throughout Türkiye’s border in northern Iraq and Syria, the place they plot assaults on Turkish forces or the native populations.
Since Jan. 1, 2023, the terrorist group carried out 577 assaults in areas falling beneath Türkiye’s counter-terrorism operations in Syria, and 1,661 terrorists have been “neutralized,” mentioned the official.
On unlawful crossings into Türkiye, the official mentioned because of efficient safety measures, 498 folks attempting to illegally cross Türkiye’s borders have been rounded up since Jan. 1, 2024.
A complete of 15,153 folks had been prevented from crossing the borders this yr.
Türkiye has been a key transit level for irregular migrants who wish to cross into Europe to start out new lives, particularly these fleeing conflict and persecution.
The nation, which already hosts 4 million refugees, greater than another nation on this planet, is taking new measures at its borders to stop a contemporary inflow of migrants.
BIDEN’S LETTER TO KEY LAWMAKERS ABOUT F-16 SALE TO TÜRKİYE
In response to a query about US President Joe Biden’s letter to the highest lawmakers on the House and Senate international relations committees, urging Congress to proceed with a pending F-16 sale to Türkiye, sources from the ministry mentioned: “Regarding the F-16 procurement, the letters of request for the procurement of 40 F-16 Block-70 and Viper modernization for 79 aircraft within the scope of the urgent operational needs of our Air Force Command were first submitted to the Office of Defense Cooperation on 30 Sept. 2021.”
“Currently, the US is expected to initiate the formal congressional approval process for the offer and acceptance letters for both projects.”
The sources mentioned they contemplate this letter a “positive step.”
“What needs to be done is to send a request to the Congress and start the official process through Congress,” mentioned the sources, anticipating a optimistic consequence of the method.
The Turkish parliament overwhelmingly ratified Sweden’s NATO membership in a 287 to 55 vote on Tuesday. Hungary is now the one NATO member state that has not signed off on Sweden’s entry into the alliance.
Following the Turkish parliament’s approval, a National Security Council spokesperson instructed Anadolu that Biden continues to help the sale of F-16s and their modernization kits to Ankara, saying it “would help facilitate NATO interoperability and is in the US national interest.”
Key lawmakers in Congress have tied the F-16 sale to Türkiye’s approval of Sweden’s NATO accession bid.
WITHDRAWAL OF US FROM SYRIA
Regarding experiences that the US will withdraw its troops from Syria, the sources from the ministry mentioned: “We need to wait for official statements on this issue.”
“Without seeing the official assertion and implementation, such news ought to be approached with warning.
“We closely follow all kinds of developments in our region in defense and security issues,” the ministry sources mentioned.
Source: www.anews.com.tr