Turkey detains 8 PKK/KCK-linked suspects in anti-terror raids
Special Operations Forces carry out raids to detain PKK/KCK suspects in Turkey's capital Ankara, May 26, 2021. (DHA Photo)


Turkish security forces detained eight PKK-linked suspects as part of an operation into the terrorist group’s umbrella body, reports said Wednesday.

Police launched raids against the suspects in Ankara-based operations carried out in three other provinces, including Istanbul, Van and Tunceli.

The operation was conducted to find members of the KCK, which serves as an umbrella body of PKK terrorist group and its Syrian and Iranian offshoots PYD and PJAK, in addition to various armed, youth and women’s organizations.

The suspects received training at the terrorist group’s headquarters in Mount Qandil, northern Iraq, which lasted from 30 to 45 days, Demirören News Agency (DHA) said.

They were carrying out activities under KCK’s so-called "Public Health Committee," which included disseminating terrorist propaganda in communities and among women, with the goal to ultimately recruit more terrorists, according to a confession by one of the suspects.

One of the detained suspects had also treated terrorists during the Oct. 6-8 incidents in 2014 and other incidents during 2015.

The violence during Oct. 6-8 incidents killed two police officers and 35 people while injuring 435 civilians and 326 police officers. Most of the civilians who were killed were actually PKK supporters, who were attacked by HÜDA-PAR followers.