Ankara, Feb 16 (IANS): Turkish security forces killed 10 members of Syria's Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, Turkey's Defense Ministry has said.

Turkish military "neutralised" six YPG fighters when they attempted to attack the Operation Euphrates Shield zone, the ministry tweeted.

Four others were "neutralised" while they were preparing for an attack on the Operation Peace Spring area, it said.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralised" to imply "terrorists" killed, wounded, or captured in security operations.

Turkey's forces and the YPG members often exchange fire on the Syrian border, and the tension has increased in the region since early January after the killing of three Turkish soldiers.

The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019 and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria.

Ankara sees the YPG as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades, claiming more than 40,000 lives.