Turkey establishing new military base in Hakkari
HAKKARİ – Anadolu Agency
The Turkish military is establishing a new military base in a high-altitude area of the southeastern province of Hakkari as part of counter-terrorism operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), security sources stated on March 28.
The military base is being established by Turkish forces at Mt. Balkaya, at an altitude of 2,400 meters, in the Şemdinli district of Hakkari near the Iraqi border, said sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
They also said that 14 improvised explosive devices planted by the militants have been destroyed since March 19 as part of anti-terror operations in the district.
The raids aim to prevent PKK militants from crossing the border.
Meanwhile, the Turkish army have “neutralized” 357 PKK militants across Turkey and northern Iraq over the last 17 days, according to information compiled by Anadolu Agency as of March 28.
Turkish officials often use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply that the militants in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.
Of that total, 67 PKK militants – including key figures – were “neutralized” in northern Iraq’s Hakurk and Kani Rash regions, while another 41 were “neutralized” in its Qandil region, where the PKK has its headquarters.
In the southeastern Turkish province of Mardin, security forces “neutralized” eight militants in Nusaybin following an armed cross-border attack from northern Syria.
In Batman in southeastern Turkey, three more militants were “neutralized,” including one Iraqi national.
In operations backed by drones armed and unarmed, Turkish soldiers also reportedly seized hundreds of weapons and pieces of ammunition.
Among them were 211 heavy and long-barrel weapons, nearly 105,000 pieces of ammunition, 402 hand grenades, and 1,748 kilograms of explosive-making material.
Separately, 324 caves and shelters used by PKK militants were destroyed during the operations.
At least 1,059 people were detained for their suspected terror propaganda and aiding the PKK.
