Turkish forces ‘neutralize’ 25 terrorists last week

By Cankut Tasdan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces “neutralized” 25 terrorists nationwide last week, the Interior Ministry said Monday.

According to a ministry statement, security forces carried out 1,187 counter-terrorism operations on Dec. 18-25.

Out of the 25 terrorists, four were killed, 15 were caught alive, and six surrendered to security forces, the statement added.

During the operations, there were 947 arrests, including 209 suspects for aiding and abetting the terrorist PKK, 106 linked to Daesh, 617 linked to FETO -- the group behind last year’s defeated coup in Turkey -- and 15 linked to leftist terrorist groups.

Security forces also arrested 3,358 suspects during anti-drug operations, while 106 irregular migrants were also held last week.

Forty-nine shelters and caves used by PKK terrorists and 20 improvised explosives and mines were destroyed in controlled detonations in the eastern and southeastern provinces of Batman, Bingol, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Hakkari, Mus, Osmaniye, Tunceli, and Sirnak.

Security forces seized 367 kilograms (809 pounds) of bomb-making materials, one hand grenade, 179 pieces of ammunition, and 10 weapons -- including nine long- and heavy-barreled weapons.

There were a total of 2,449 anti-contraband operations, and 3,358 suspects were captured in 77 provinces nationwide, the statement added.

Security forces also seized 1,233 kg (2.7 lb.) of hashish, 277 kg (610 lb.) of heroin, 7.56 kg (16.5 lb.) of methamphetamines, 17,766 illicit drug pills, 2,82 kg (6.1 Ib.) of synthetic marijuana, nearly 671,000 packages of smuggled cigarettes, and nearly 860 liters of smuggled oil.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and 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.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, orchestrated last year’s defeated coup in Turkey, which left 250 people martyred and around 2,200 others wounded.

Turkey has suffered from a number of attacks by Daesh, including the October 2015 Ankara train station bombing that killed more than 100 people.