Nearly three tons of explosives seized from PKK in Turkey’s Diyarbakır

ANKARA

A total of 2.8 tons of explosive material have been seized in an operation against outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir, the Diyarbakır Governor’s Office stated on Nov. 26.

Ten Kalashnikovs, one rocket launcher, 1,500 cartridges, 10-anti tank ammunition, one M15 mine, 10 grenades, ammonium nitrate in 66 packages were also seized in three different areas in Diyarbakır’s Kulp district.

A total of 14 PKK militants were “neutralized” in counter-terrorism operations carried out in Turkey between Nov. 20 and Nov. 27, according to the Interior Ministry.

The authorities use the word “neutralized” to refer to militants who are killed, wounded or captured.

Three militants were killed, nine were captured alive, and two surrendered in operations in southeastern provinces, said a ministry statement.

The statement also said security forces have carried out 1,645 operations against the terrorist organization in the last week.

In addition, nationwide operations saw a total of 5,256 suspects – 1,291 terror suspects, 116 migrants and 3,849 drug trafficking and smuggling suspects – brought into custody.

Turkey will never tolerate terrorist threats, Turkey’s National Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said on Nov. 27, vowing to continue taking all necessary measures against both the PKK and its Syrian affiliates, the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Canikli’s remarks came during a meeting between the defense ministers of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

He said Muslims and Islamic countries suffer the most from instability and lack of security, citing the deadly Nov. 24 mosque attack in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, which left 305 people dead and scores injured.

“We strongly condemn the massacre that took place in Egypt,” Canikli said, stressing that attacking worshippers during Friday prayers is “unimaginable.”

Turkey has “worked constantly to combat Islamic State, Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), both inside and outside the country, especially with the Euphrates Shield Operation,” he added.

The Euphrates Shield Operation was a cross-border operation by the Turkish military and Turkey-aligned opposition groups in the Syrian war, which fought against both ISIL and the PKK-affiliated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Canikli said Turkey could fight terrorism by pushing for funding cuts to terror groups during the Syria-focused Astana peace talks with Russia and Iran.