Türkiye 'neutralized' 129 terrorists in 2022: Interior minister

By Utku Simsek

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye's interior minister on Tuesday said a total of 129 terrorists were "neutralized" over the past year.

On Twitter, Suleyman Soylu announced that 130,981 rural operations against terrorists were carried out in 2022, as 107 terrorists were killed and 22 others were captured alive.

He also said at least 1,190 terrorist hideouts and shelters were destroyed in the operations.

Nearly 1,000 weapons, 1,131 hand grenades, 275 mines/handmade explosives, 7.9 tons of explosives and nearly 430,000 rounds of ammunition of various types were seized, Soylu added.

According to the Turkish minister, the number of terrorists in the country fell below 120 and at least 125 PKK terror group members surrendered to the Turkish army by persuasion efforts in 2022.

Soylu pledged to continue anti-terror operations with no letup.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the terror group's Syrian branch.

*Writing by Merve Aydogan