Over 200 PKK suspects caught in large-scale op

ANKARA

More than 200 PKK suspects were apprehended in simultaneous operations against the terrorist organization in 32 out of the country’s 81 provinces, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced.

In the “Heroes-36” operation, the security forces raided the addresses of suspects identified with several terrorist activities, particularly in Istanbul and the capital Ankara.

"Some 208 suspects who are members of the PKK terrorist organization and involved in its activities, part of the youth structure of the organization in city centers, engaged in terrorist propaganda through social media accounts and providing financial support to the terrorist organization for its activities, have been captured," stated Yerlikaya in a social media post on X on Dec. 26.

In a separate operation centered in Istanbul, 11 suspects affiliated with the PKK's terrorist organization's Syrian branch, the YPG, were simultaneously apprehended in 17 different locations.

Local media also reported that the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) “neutralized” Mehmet Şefa Akman, a so-called high-ranking member of the PKK, who was identified as preparing for an armed attack.

The term "neutralize" is frequently used by the Turkish military and officials to denote that the terrorists in question have either surrendered, been killed, or captured during the operation.

MİT revealed that the terrorist, codenamed Bahoz Zagros, was responsible for YPG’s activities in Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq.

These operations came after 12 Turkish soldiers were killed in PKK attacks in Iraq over the weekend.

Türkiye asks explanation from Sweden: Local Media

Meanwhile, local media on Dec. 26 reported that Turkish authorities, in response to allegations that weapons and equipment used in the recent deadly PKK attack were of Swedish origin, asked Sweden for clarification.

According to the report, this matter was raised at the bilateral level and in the Permanent Joint Mechanism with Swedish authorities, and an explanation was requested.

Swedish authorities responded that the mentioned weapons were not produced by them and were not dispatched to the terrorist organization, the report added.

The PKK is internationally recognized as a terrorist organization, listed as such by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union.