Turkey detains 137 for suspected links to PKK 

ANKARA

Turkish authorities have detained 137 people in a country-wide operation over two days aimed at the outlawed PKK, state-run Anadolu Agency said on Oct. 6. 

The operation across 13 provinces was carried out to prevent possible attacks on the fourth anniversary of the Kobane protests that killed and wounded dozens of people across the country, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. 

The PKK, designated as a terror group by Turkey, the European Union and United States, is regularly targeted in raids by security forces.

On Oct. 4, eight soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device in southeastern Turkey in a PKK attack. 

In an address on television on Oct. 6, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said “at least 800 terrorists will be made to pay” for the attack.