ANKARA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization has "neutralized" a key figure of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Wednesday.
Shiraz Omer, code-named Sozdar Afrin, was killed in a pinpoint operation on the Rumailan-Malikiyah road, Anadolu quoted anonymous Turkish security sources as saying, without specifying the time of the operation.
Omer, allegedly a high-ranking official in the financial network of the group, had reportedly been closely monitored by Turkish intelligence.
Also on Wednesday, the Turkish Defence Ministry said 14 YPG militants were "neutralized" in the Operation Peace Spring region of the Turkish military in northern Syria.
Türkiye sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria to create a YPG-free zone along the Turkish border within the neighboring country.
Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralize" in their statements to imply the alleged "terrorists" have either surrendered, been killed, or been captured. ■
