Turkey captures 2 suspected PKK/YPG terrorists

ANKARA

Turkish security forces captured two suspected PKK/YPG terrorists who were trying to enter the country, according to the country’s Defense Ministry on Monday.

"Two separatist PKK/YPG terrorists, who were trying to cross into our country from Syria to organize protests, were captured by border security and handed over to the law-enforcement officers," the Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others displaced, according to UN officials.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The terrorist YPG is the PKK's Syrian branch.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar