61 terrorists 'neutralized' across Turkey last week

By Sertac Bulur

ANKARA (AA) - At least 61 PKK terrorists were “neutralized” during counter-terrorism operations across Turkey from March 26 to April 2, according to the Interior Ministry on Monday.

In a statement, the ministry said security forces had carried out 1,385 counter-terrorism operations in the past week.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

The ministry specified that 40 of the neutralized terrorists were killed, 10 were captured, while 11 more surrendered to authorities.

During the operations, 206 people were arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting the PKK terrorist group and 19 others for their suspected links to the Daesh terrorist group. Another 853 people were arrested for suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), and 13 others for links to leftist terrorist groups.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the July 2016 defeated coup, which martyred 250 people and injured nearly 2,200.

In addition, 245 kilograms (540.13 pounds) of explosives ordnance, 42 hand grenades, 55 weapons, and 4,014 ammunition were seized in nationwide counter-terrorism operations, the ministry said.

In operations across the southeastern provinces of Mardin, Hakkari, Batman, Siirt, Adiyaman, Osmaniye and Diyarbakir, and in the eastern Tunceli province, 28 terrorist hideouts were destroyed.

Security forces also arrested 1,091 suspects for crimes linked to terrorism, 75 others for organized migrant trafficking crimes and 3,679 more for drug trafficking and smuggling.

After examining 454 social media accounts, the Turkish police’s cybercrime division launched legal proceedings against 242 suspects.

Additionally, 2,683 anti-drug and anti-contraband operations were carried out during which 635 suspects were arrested, according to the statement.

According to the statement, Turkish security forces held 6,176 suspects over their links to undocumented migration and arrested 75 people for reportedly organizing human smuggling activities.