Turkish forces neutralize 57 terrorists on Sept. 4-10

By Cankut Tasdan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces neutralized 57 PKK terrorists nationwide last week, the Interior Ministry said Monday.

According to a ministry statement, security forces carried out 1,285 counter-terrorism operations on Sept. 4-10.

Out of 57 terrorists, 39 were killed, three were caught alive, and 15 surrendered to security forces, the statement added.

During the operations, there were 601 arrests, including 117 suspects for aiding and abetting the terrorist PKK, 27 linked to Daesh, 451 linked to FETO, and six linked to leftist terrorist groups.

Eleven shelters and depots used by PKK terrorists and nine improvised explosives were destroyed in controlled detonations in the southeastern Mus, Bingol, Tunceli, Hakkari, and Sirnak provinces.

Security forces seized 12.5 kilograms (27 pounds) of bomb-making materials, 35 hand grenades, 4,527 pieces of various ammunition, and 42 weapons -- including 38 long- and heavy-barreled weapons.

There were a total of 1,374 anti-contraband operations, and 1,883 suspects were captured in 76 provinces nationwide, the statement added.

Security forces also seized 1,781 kg (3926 lb.) of hashish, 148 kg (326 lb.) of heroin, 8.5 kg (18 lb.) of methamphetamines, 314,401 illicit drug pills, 1.12 million pieces of raw hemp, 555,486 packages of smuggled cigarettes, and 25,315 liters of smuggled oil.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its armed campaign against Turkey in July 2015. Since then, it has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, orchestrated last year’s defeated coup in Turkey, which left 250 people martyred and around 2,200 others wounded.

Turkey has suffered from a number of attacks by Daesh, including the October 2015 Ankara train station bombing that killed more than 100 people.