Operation Eren: Turkey launches new anti-terror op

By Dilan Pamuk

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday the start of a new operation in the east of the country as part of the fight against terrorism.

Operation Eren, named after Eren Bulbul, a 15-year-old martyred by the terrorist PKK on Aug. 11, 2017, commenced with the start of 2021, and aims at eliminating terrorism from the country completely, it said in a statement.

A total of 1,071 personnel from the Gendarmerie Command, Gendarmerie Special Operations (JOH), Police Special Operations Department, (POH) and rangers, and 71 operational teams are part of the action launched in Tendurek region of the eastern Agri and Van provinces.

Turkey conducted Operations Kapan and Yildirim in 2020 with the aim of eliminating the separatist terrorist organization, and exterminate the terrorists present in the region.

Operation Yildirim, named after Halil Ibrahim Yildirim, the youngest martyr of the 2016 coup attempt in Istanbul, was completed on Jan. 10, 2021.

As many as 11,733 raids were conducted, 153 terrorists were "neutralized," and 90 collaborators were arrested, while 707 caves, shelters and stores were destroyed in the anti-terror operation.

Turkish authorities use the term “neutralize” to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Hundreds of weapons as well as tons of various drugs were also seized.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.