51 PKK terrorists neutralized over last week

By Sertac Bulur and Mehmet Tosun

ANKARA (AA) – Security forces neutralized 51 PKK terrorists in a nationwide counter-terrorism operation held last week, the Turkish Interior Ministry said Monday.

During the operation 33 terrorists were killed, 10 captured alive and eight surrendered, a statement issued by the ministry said.

Among those neutralized, one was labeled "category green" and another "category grey" on the Interior Ministry’s wanted terrorists list.

The list is divided into five color-coded categories with red designated as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and grey.

From June 12-19, 652 operations were carried out where more than a thousand suspects were arrested -- 930 for links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), which Turkey blames for orchestrating the failed July coup last year.

Also last week, security forces destroyed 26 terrorist hideouts and seized weapons, in the southeastern Diyarbakir, Sirnak, Hakkari and eastern Bitlis, Siirt and Bingol provinces.

During anti-drug operations 124 traffickers were arrested, and contraband including 110 kg (242 pounds) of heroin, 216 kg (476 pounds) of cocaine, and 147,378 pills, were confiscated.

A crackdown against illegal migration led to 846 arrests, of which 69 were suspected of organizing human trafficking.

- Counter-terrorism operation in N.Iraq

Turkish Air Force carried out a counter-terrorism operation early Monday, killing six PKK terrorists, in Zap region of northern Iraq.

According to a statement, fighter jets targeted PKK terrorists just as they were preparing an attack on a Turkish unit.

The strike also destroyed two PKK ammunition depots.

More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians -- many of them women and children -- have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.