44 bomb-laden vehicles seized in Turkey’s Diyarbakır in 2017: Governor

DİYARBAKIR – Doğan News Agency

The governor of the southeastern province of Diyarbakır has said Turkish security forces seized a total of 44 bomb-laden vehicles across the province last year as part of anti-terror operations.

The seized motor vehicles were planned to be used in attacks in Diyarbakır as well as in other parts of Turkey, Diyarbakır Governor Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu said on Jan. 11.

“Our security forces have seized these [vehicles] after meticulous works. A huge success was reached to prevent such traitorous actions from taking place,” he said.

Güzeloğlu’s comments came during a meeting with Gendarmerie Regional Commander Major Gen. Halis Zafer Koç, Police Commissioner Tacettin Aslan, and Provincial Brigadier Gen. Ali Demir assessing 2017 in terms of general security.

The governor also released important statistics regarding the fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Diyarbakır, saying in 2017 the number of operations against the group had increased by 378 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 3,677. In the operations in 2017, a total of 98 PKK militants were “neutralized,” he said.

Authorities use the term “neutralized” in statements to imply the militants in question were either killed, wounded or captured. 

Of the 98 PKK militants, 74 were captured dead and 19 alive, while the remaining five had surrendered, the governor added.