Turkey saw almost 68,500 counterterror ops in 12 months

By Merve Aydogan and Sena Guler

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces conducted almost 68,500 nationwide counterterror operations within the last year, the country's interior minister said on Thursday.

Speaking at Anadolu Agency's Editors' Desk in Ankara, Suleyman Soylu said 40,000 were against the PKK, 25,000 were against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) -- responsible for last year's coup attempt -- and just over 2,100 were against Daesh.

He said the country's counterterror teams were also targeting those financing terror in Turkish cities.

The minister also said the PKK is experiencing a 30-year low in recruitment and membership, something causing "serious demoralization" within the terror group.

"Since the beginning of 2017, 40 civilians lost their lives in PKK terror attacks," Soylu added.

Turkey has been carrying out operations against the PKK and its affiliated groups inside and outside of the country over the past two years.

More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization also by the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.