ANKARA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A total of 947 militants have been "neutralized" since the beginning of Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin region, the military said in a statement on Monday.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in reference to enemies who either surrendered or were killed or captured.

Over 12 militants of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), and the Islamic State (IS) were neutralized during the overnight operation in Afrin on Monday, the statement said.

On Jan. 20, Turkish military launched the cross-border land operation to fight the Syrian Kurdish militia, targeting the YPG elements in the Kurdish enclave with Free Syrian Army fighters through airstrikes and land forces.

Since then, Turkish border towns were also attacked by rockets from Stria, killing at least seven civilians and injuring about 100 others.