ANKARA, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces killed 14 members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, when they attempted to "infiltrate" into Turkey's operation zone, its Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"We will not let the terrorist organization PKK/YPG disrupt peace and security in the (Operation) Peace Spring region. Our heroic commandos, who took every measures in the region, prevented another infiltration attempt and neutralized 14 YPG/PKK terrorists," the ministry tweeted.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" in their statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Turkey sees the YPG group 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 northern Syria in order to create a YPG-free zone along its border within the neighboring country.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over 30 years, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people. Enditem

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