5 ranking PKK/KCK suspects detained

ANKARA (AA) - Five senior suspects linked to the terrorist PKK/KCK group were detained Friday, according to an Interior Ministry source.

The terrorists, members of a group called the "KCK-Turkey Commission" operating within Turkey, were detained in Turkey's southeastern Sanliurfa and Diyarbakir provinces as well as in the Mediterranean province of Antalya as part of nationwide operations, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The suspects were listed under the initials H.A. (34), S.A. (35), M.O. (41), B.A. (42), and E.A (45).

H.A. was reportedly a group "spokesman" and previously operated at the group's news agency ANHA based in the Syrian city of Qamishli.

S.A. was also a group "spokesman" who has traveled to Mt. Qandil, Iraq to meet high-level members of the PKK/KCK.

E.A. was the KCK's so-called "representative" in the southeastern Diyarbakir province and also went to Qandil last March to engage with the group's ranking terrorists.

All five suspects are also charged with establishing and controlling an armed terrorist group and being members of an armed terrorist group.

Separately, three suspects who were reportedly preparing to build explosives were detained in the southern city of Mersin.

In the southern Kahramanmaras province, 12 other suspects were detained for having possible links to the PKK/KCK.

The PKK/KCK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey. The U.S. and the EU consider the PKK a terrorist organization.