Over 40 terrorists 'neutralized' across Turkey

By Sertac Bulur

ANKARA (AA) - At least 43 terrorists have been “neutralized” as part of counter-terror operations held across Turkey over the past week, according to the Interior Ministry on Monday.

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

In a statement, the ministry said security forces had carried out 1,502 counter-terrorism operations from April 2-9.

The ministry specified that 25 of the terrorists were killed, 8 were captured, while 10 surrendered to authorities.

Four so-called senior members of the terror group PKK, wanted by the Interior Ministry, were among the neutralized terrorists.

They include: Garzan Kemal code-named Medeni Sayilgan, Demhat Cilo code-named Eyup Celik, Soro Ahmet code-named Mehmet Rehber Cetin and Harun Munzur code-named Masallah Malazgirt.

During the operations, 244 people were also arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting the PKK terrorist group and 28 others for their suspected links to the Daesh terrorist group.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its armed campaign against Turkey in July 2015.

Since then, it has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians, including a number of women and children.

Another 561 people were arrested over alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) and nine others over 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.

During the operations, the security sources also destroyed 61 shelters including caves and 49 hand-made explosives in operations held in eastern Sirnak, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Mus, Mardin, Siirt, Tunceli, Van and Bingol provinces, the statement said.

In addition, 1.5 tons of explosive materials, 43 hand-grenades, 47 weapons and over 18,000 rounds of munition were seized.

According to the statement, 2,683 anti-drug raids were held across the country, which led to 441 arrests.

A total of 13,502 people were also held across the country in the fight against irregular migration. The operations saw 167 suspects arrested for abetting the illegal crossings, the statement added.