24 PKK militants ‘neutralized’ across Turkey last week: Ministry

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

Turkey “neutralized” 24 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in counter-terror operations between March 19 and 26, the Interior Ministry announced on March 26.

The militants were “neutralized” in the southeastern provinces of Mardin, Şırnak, Van, Muş, Tunceli, Batman, and Diyarbakır.

Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply that the militants in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the Turkish Armed Forces carried out a total of 1,224 operations across Turkey last week.

During the operations, 686 suspects were also detained for aiding and assisting the PKK, and 65 others for their suspected links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Another 568 suspects were detained over links to the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) and 32 others for links to outlawed leftist groups.

In addition, 300 kilograms of explosive-making materials, 24 hand grenades, 44 weapons, and some 1,664 pieces of ammunition were seized in nationwide counter-terrorism operations, said the ministry.

Additionally, 4,916 individuals were detained over terror crimes, undocumented migration, drug trafficking and contraband smuggling.

In an operation against social media propaganda, after examining 783 social media accounts, the cybercrime division of the police launched legal proceedings against 259 suspects.

Turkish army ‘neutralizes’ 3 PKK militants in northern Iraq

Meanwhile, the Turkish military “neutralized” three PKK militants during an air operation in northern Iraq on March 25, according to the governor’s office of the southeastern province of Şırnak.

Four PKK militants and their shelters at their so-called “training camp” in Iraq’s Haftanin region were initially identified by drones, the governor’s office said.

Three militants were then neutralized by armed drones in the operation.