Turkish security forces detained 19 out of 50 suspects as part of an investigation into the PKK terrorist group’s women’s branch, in raids on Tuesday.
The probe, launched by the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office and carried out by the counterterrorism unit of Ankara Police, was based on evidence obtained from testimony, photos and the financial crimes investigation unit.
Raids were carried out in 14 provinces to nab 50 suspects and police are still seeking the remaining suspects.
Police confiscated organizational documents, and prohibited publications, voice recorders, phones, tablets and computers used by the terrorists.
The pro-PKK Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Diyadin District Mayor H.A. in the Ağrı province and other HDP and its predecessor Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)-linked suspects are sought as part of the investigation, according to the Anadolu Agency (AA).
The raids followed around six months of technical analysis by counterterrorism and intelligence units, which exposed the links between the suspects and the PKK’s women’s branch.
They have been carrying out activities for the terrorist group’s women’s branch, including the ones in Türkiye, Iraq, Iran and Syria, since 2014. Their activities included financing terrorism, spreading terrorist propaganda, meeting with terrorists and more.
Earlier this month, the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) eliminated the head of the women's branch of the PKK terrorist organization, Norşin Afrin, and four other terrorists in an operation in the Gara region of northern Iraq.
The operations and probes come as Turkish security forces ramp up efforts against the terrorist group after the deadly terrorist attack in Istanbul's Istiklal Street, which was carried out by a woman YPG/PKK terrorist. The number of people arrested in connection with the Nov. 13 Istiklal Street terrorist attack in Istanbul by the PKK/YPG terrorist group has risen to 25.
For more than 40 years, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria and northern Iraq to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful resettlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).
