Turkish Interior Ministry details anti-terror arrests

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) - Just over 2,600 suspects linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and the PKK were arrested over the past week, Turkey’s interior ministry said on Monday.

In a statement, the ministry said 2,331 suspects were linked to FETO while 238 suspects were linked to the terrorist group PKK.

The Turkish security forces conducted 579 operations against the PKK between April 24 and 30.

Another 43 suspects were arrested in anti-Daesh operations, the statement added. Twenty-six suspects were arrested in connection with their alleged involvement with leftist terror organizations.

The ministry said 38 terrorists had been killed over the past week in anti-terrorism operations nationwide.

According to the statement, there were high-ranking suspects among the deaths.

Turkey accuses FETO of orchestrating the coup attempt of July 2016, which resulted in 249 deaths and thousands of injuries, as well as the bombing of vital government buildings, including parliament.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU. It has waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years, during which more than 40,000 people have lost their lives.

- Drug operations

The security forces also conducted 556 anti-drug operations in 70 provinces in an effort to curtail terrorist financing.

During the operations, officers seized various amounts of narcotics including cocaine, heroin and marijuana.

More than 818,280 packs of smuggled cigarettes and 92,836 liters (24,524 gallons) of smuggled oil were also seized. The operations also saw the arrest of 840 suspects.

Meanwhile, 2,084 irregular migrants were detained over the past week including 336 at sea. Police arrested 50 people on suspicion of organizing human trafficking.

According to the statement, 31 people were also arrested for making “terror propaganda” on social media.