307 PKK militants killed so far in operations, Turkish military says

ANKARA

A Turkish soldier is seen during the anti-PKK oeprations in the southeastern ditrict of Cizre. AA photo

Turkey's military has said that a total of 307 militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have been killed in counter-terrorism operations in southeastern Turkey since Dec. 15.

In a written statement on Jan. 9, the Turkish General Staff said 18 more PKK militants were killed on Jan. 8 in the southeastern provinces Diyarbakır and Şırnak where the military operations continue amid curfews, Anadolu Agency reported.

The military’s statement said that two of Jan. 8's death toll were from Diyarbakır's historical Sur district, which ahs been under curfew since Dec. 2. Ongoing operations have left 70 militants dead in the district so far, according to the offical statements.

Meanwhile, 16 militants were killed in the Cizre district of Şırnak, which brought the total number of PKK militants killed in the area to 237, the military said.        

During Jan. 8's operation in Cizre, Turkish security forces disposed of six handmade explosives and removed 10 barricades.        

In the Tutak district of the eastern province of Ağrı, three suspects were detained on charges of aiding and abetting the outlawed PKK. A number of Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition clips, cartridges, shotguns and “terrorist documents” were seized during a search at the addresses of the suspects, the army said.        

The statement added that the Turkish military detained one suspected militant of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the southeastern province of Kilis as the suspect attempted to illegally cross from Syria into Turkey.        

Last month, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said more than 3,100 PKK militants had been killed in Turkey and northern Iraq. 

Around 300 soldiers, police officers and civilians have been killed since the conflict reignited in late July 2015, according to officials.