Turkey announces the killing of 23 Kurdish militants in northern Syria, continuing its campaign against the YPG and PKK, groups it deems terrorist organizations.
Turkey announced on Sunday that it had killed 23 Kurdish militants in northern Syria, the latest in a series of attacks targeting the YPG (Syrian Kurdish militia) and the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), which Turkey considers as one entity. The Turkish Ministry of Defense stated that the militants were members of the YPG and PKK, both groups regarded as terrorist organizations by Turkey.
The United States, however, treats the YPG and PKK as separate entities, designating the PKK as a terrorist organization but recognizing the YPG as a key ally in its fight against ISIS in Syria.
Turkey has long urged the U.S. to withdraw its support for the YPG, hoping that President Donald Trump would reconsider the policies of the previous administration under President Joe Biden. The Turkish forces and their allies in Syria have been engaged in continuous clashes with Kurdish militants since the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December.
