Police arrest PKK suspects planning attacks for Monday

By Cankut Tasdan

ANKARA (AA) - Ten suspected PKK terrorists were arrested in Turkey’s capital Ankara on Sunday, a security source said.

The suspects were preparing to carry out attacks on public institutions and civilian targets on Monday, the 32nd anniversary of the group’s first armed attacks in Turkey, the source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The operation by counter-terrorism police targeted members of the PKK youth wing, the source added. Leading figures are said to be among those arrested.

A reconditioned blank-firing gun, ammunition and organizational documents were recovered in the raid.

Meanwhile, 124 people have been arrested in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir province over the last five days, police said Sunday. They are also suspected of planning attacks for Monday, which marks the launch of the armed campaign in 1984 with attacks on gendarmes in Siirt and Hakkari provinces, southeast Turkey.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its 32-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015. Since then, more than 600 security personnel have been martyred and more than 7,000 PKK terrorists killed.