Ankara, Jul 31 (IANS): Turkish security forces killed 12 members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northwestern Syria, the Turkish Defence Ministry said.

The YPG members were "neutralised" after they opened "harassing fire" on the Operation Euphrates Shield zone of the Turkish military, the Ministry said on Sunday in a statement.

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

Türkiye sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Xinhua news agency reported.

The Turkish Army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016 in northern Syria as part of the efforts to create a YPG-free zone along its border in the neighbouring country.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than 30 years.