Nine terrorists who carried out a bomb attack that killed four civilians, including two children in Syria’s Ras al-Ain province, were detained in an operation against PKK's Syrian branch YPG in northern Syria, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday.

The ministry noted that the Syrian nationals were detained in a joint operation by gendarmerie units, intelligence squads and counterterrorism units.

The investigation revealed that the woman terrorist planted the bomb on the vehicle, while a male terrorist detonated the bomb near the civilians. Seven other terrorists provided assistance to the two terrorists, the ministry said, citing footage obtained from security cameras.

In her testimony, the unidentified woman terrorist said she was under constant pressure from the YPG during her imprisonment in a jail in Qamishli and was told that she would be freed if she carried out a terrorist attack in an area specified by the group.

Local authorities have launched legal proceedings against the suspects, the ministry added.

Ras al-Ain was freed from YPG terrorists on Oct. 12 as part of Turkey's Operation Peace Spring, launched on Oct. 9, 2019, to secure Turkey's borders by eliminating the terror group from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.

However, the YPG/PKK terrorists continue attacks in the Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain districts despite pulling out of areas under a deal reached by Turkey and the United States on Oct. 17, 2019.

In its more than 40-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 nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.