64 PKK militants ‘neutralized’ in counter-terrorism ops across Turkey last week
ANKARA
A total of 64 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants were “neutralized” in operations launched by the Turkish security forces between Oct. 16 and Oct. 23, the Interior Ministry announced in a statement on Oct. 23.
Authorities use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply the militants in question were either killed, wounded or captured.
As part of the operations, 45 PKK militants were killed, eight of them were captured and 11 others surrendered to security forces, the statement said.
Security forces also detained 131 people accused of aiding and abetting the PKK, 69 others for allegedly having links with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL), 643 for suspected ties with the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) and 16 for alleged ties to outlawed leftist groups.
Moreover, 15 shelters and caves used by PKK militants and 36 handmade explosives were destroyed in the eastern and southeastern provinces of Siirt, Diyarbakır, Van, Erzincan, Hakkari and Adıyaman and the Central Anatolian province of Tokat, according to the statement.
A total of 266 kilograms of material used in making explosives, 18 hand grenades, 34 firearms and over 2,000 rounds of various types of ammunition were also seized.
Security forces also conducted more than 3,000 anti-drug operations in 77 provinces in an effort to curtail terrorist financing.
During the operations, officers seized various types of narcotics, including cocaine, heroin, marijuana, bonsai (synthetic drug) and cannabis plants.
In 56 provinces, 517 suspected drug sellers were arrested, according to the ministry.
In addition, 5,919 migrants were detained over the past week, including 771 at sea. Police arrested 145 people on suspicion of organizing human trafficking.
Meanwhile, one Turkish soldier was killed and two others were slightly wounded during a counterterrorism operation in the eastern province of Van, the local governor’s office said on Oct. 22.
Three PKK militants were also killed during the operation launched by the local gendarmerie in a rural area of the Başkale district, a statement said.
