At least 22 PKK militants ‘neutralized’ over past week

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

At least 22 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants were “neutralized” as part of anti-terror operations across Turkey over the past week, an Interior Ministry statement said June 18.

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

In its statement, the ministry said the Turkish Armed Forces carried out 2,043 counter-terrorism operations on June 11-18 with the assistance of land and air forces.

The ministry said 10 of the militants were killed, four others were captured, and eight surrendered to authorities. 

Four militants neutralized in the operations were on Turkey’s wanted list.

Security forces also destroyed five shelters, including several caves and 35 improvised explosives, during operations in the eastern provinces of Ağrı, Hakkari, and Van, the statement said. 

In addition, they seized 467 hand grenades, 171 assorted weapons and 240,000 rounds of various ammunition.

During the operations, 134 people were detained for allegedly aiding and abetting the PKK.

Separately, at least two PKK militants were neutralized in the southeastern Diyarbakır province, the local governor’s office said in a statement on June 18.

The militants were neutralized during an operation against the PKK in the Hani district late June 17, the statement said.

They were the perpetrators of an attack on May 24 in which sergeant Uğur Sağlam was killed.

Two long barreled weapons, a rocket launcher, a pistol and a hand grenade were also seized in the operation, it added.