7 terror suspects arrested in southeastern Turkey over past week

By Faruk Kucuk

SIRNAK, Turkey (AA) – At least seven terror suspects were arrested in Turkey’s southeastern Sirnak province over the last week, local authorities said on Monday.

In a statement, the Governor’s Office in Sirnak said the provincial security directorate launched an operation against the terror group PKK/KCK and Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Police nabbed seven suspects during the operation, the statement said, adding four of them were released after procedures at the police station.

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 also 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.

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 nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar​​​​​​​