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ANKARA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces killed at least 12 members of the Syrian Kurdish People"s Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, Türkiye"s Defense Ministry said on Friday.

In a statement, the ministry said the Turkish armed forces "neutralized" the YPG members when they were "preparing for an attack" in northern Syria.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" in their statements to imply the surrender or death of terrorists.

The ministry"s statement, released on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, was accompanied by drone footage of several targets being struck in the region.

The ministry said that with the latest operation, the number of "terrorists" eliminated since Thursday in the northern regions of Türkiye"s neighboring Syria and Iraq has reached 21.

Türkiye has retaliated against the YPG"s killing of six of its soldiers this week by launching operations in the two neighboring countries, where the Kurdistan Workers" Party (PKK) and its Syrian branch YPG are hiding.

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.