Turkey nabs 10 for attempting to illegally cross borders

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces nabbed at least 10 people, including five members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and a PKK member, for trying to illegally cross the country’s borders, the National Defense Ministry said on Monday.

“10 people trying to cross illegally from our country to Greece and from Syria to our country were caught by our border units,” the ministry said on Twitter.

While one of them was identified as a member of the PKK terror group, five were identified as members of the FETO terror group, it added.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people dead and 2,734 injured.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

* Writing by Ahmet Gencturk in Ankara​​​​​​​