Some 145 terrorists neutralized in September: Minister

ANKARA

Some 145 terrorists have been neutralized in September while 113 of them were PKK members, 23 were ISIL related terrorists and another nine worked for left-wing terrorist organizations, Deputy Interior Minister İsmail Çataklı has announced.

A total of 12,817 rural operations against the PKK terrorist organization were carried out in September, Çataklı stated, adding that some 977 operations against urban settlement of the organization and their collaborators were also conducted.

Within the scope of the operations, a total of 145 terrorists were neutralized while 19 of them were dead, 109 terrorists were alive and 17 surrendered.

Eight of these terrorists were wanted on “orange list” and “grey list,” while one terrorist was sought as unlisted.

Çataklı noted that 1,477 terrorists who aided the terrorist organization were detained while 89 shelters and caves were rendered unusable.

A total of 16 terrorist acts were prevented in September, he added.

“Neutralized” is a term used by the Turkish military and officials to indicate terrorists were either killed, wounded or captured.

The ministry ranks those included on the list in five color-coded categories from red (most wanted) to blue, green, orange and grey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and the European Union, has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.