ANKARA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces killed three members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, Turkey's defense ministry said Tuesday.

"Three PKK/YPG terrorists, who attempted to infiltrate the Operation Peace Spring zone, were neutralized by our heroic commandos," the ministry tweeted.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralize" to imply the "terrorists" who have surrendered, been killed or captured.

The tension between Turkish troops in northern Syria and the YPG members in the region is escalating in the past few days.

Turkish security forces "neutralized" at least 12 members of the YPG in Syria after a harassment attack on Turkish positions, the defense ministry said Sunday.

Turkey sees the YPG as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

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 order to create a YPG-free zone along its border within Syria.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, has fought a 30-year war against the Turkish government, claiming the lives of more than 40,000. Enditem

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