Nearly 20 PKK terror suspects arrested in Turkey

By Cemal Asan

VAN, Turkey (AA) - At least 19 people were arrested on Monday in counter-terror operations across Turkey for their suspected links to the PKK terror group, the gendarmerie said Monday.

In eastern Van province, nine suspects were held in Ercis district, the gendarmerie said in a statement.

Separately, the local gendarmerie in southeastern Gaziantep province arrested 10 suspects, including senior members of the terror group, during operations at different addresses across the city center.

The suspects were accused of attending an unauthorized demonstration on Oct. 6-7, 2014 on the pretext of Daesh terror group’s attack in Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), a northern Syrian city.

Listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, the PKK has been responsible for the death of some 40,000 people, including women and children.