PKK to face very bad winter: Interior Minister

ANKARA

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Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu promised a very bad winter for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Nov. 14, in a speech which he made at the opening ceremony of the Of Cumapazarı Association of Solidarity and Assistance. 

“Winter will not be easy for them. We will cause a major loss that they have not seen until today, with all our security forces. Nobody can mention the name of the PKK in this country. Nobody who has been aiding and abetting the PKK will be shown mercy,” the minister said.

Soylu also replied to the critics about terminating the activities of 370 associations.

“We terminated the activities of 370 associations. Why? Because they will stay there, slumber there and support the terrorist organization, and we will treat them as a legal structure. We locked them up; it’s over! Let’s see them open them!” he stated.    

Moreover, the PKK militants who staged an action last week in the southeastern district of Derik, killing District Gov. Muhammed Fatih Safitürk, have been apprehended, according to Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş.

Kurtulmuş also said 62 people were detained, 10 of whom were released under the investigation which was conducted after killing of Safitürk.

“The main perpetrators were seized under the investigation. Almost all details of the attack of the process were revealed. Whoever’s behind the attack will be punished,” he added. 

In addition, one soldier was killed after unidentified perpetrators opened fire during a gendarmerie investigation in the Mediterranean province of Antalya on Nov. 14, Doğan News Agency has reported. 

The attack occurred in a forested area in the Çakırlar area of Antalya’s Konyaaltı district while the gendarmerie was searching the area. 

One soldier died in hospital after being injured in the attack.

Police officers, gendarmerie officers and helicopters were sent to the area where the incident occurred, with police manning entrances and exits from the Çakırlar area and searching vehicles.