The Turkish army killed nine fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in an operation in northern Syria, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced today, as quoted by state TV TRT-Haber.

"In the area where the Euphrates Shield and Peace Spring anti-terrorist operations were carried out in northern Syria, nine terrorists who were preparing an attack were eliminated," said a statement from the Ministry of National Defense of Turkey.

PKK fighters shot down a Turkish fighter over Iraq

Since 2016, Turkey has conducted several operations in northern Syria to clear the area along the Turkish border of Islamic State terrorists and fighters of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Forces (PDF), including the Euphrates Shield ( 2016), "Olive Branch" (2018) and "Fountain of Peace" (2019).

The Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has been waging an armed struggle against the Turkish state since 1984, is considered a terrorist organization by Ankara, the EU and the US.