Courts order arrest of 11 suspects in major anti-terror sweep across Turkey


Turkish courts have ordered the arrest of at least 11 suspects who were recently detained in anti-terrorist operations across Turkey, Turkish security sources said Friday.In southern Antalya province, a Turkish court ordered the arrest of a suspect on charges of "being a terrorist organization member".In central Konya province, 30 suspects, who were detained earlier by police during anti-ISIS operations, were produced before a court.Also, a court ordered the arrest of eight suspects who were taken into custody in southeastern Diyarbakir province's Kayapinar district, the regional prosecutor's office said.In southern Mersin province, two of the 22 people detained recently during operations against the Patriotic Revolutionist Youth Movement (YDG-H), the youth wing of the PKK, were released, while the rest were produced before a court.In eastern Kars province, a person was detained for allegedly being linked with the PKK terrorist organization.Also, three PKK suspects were held while they were allegedly making preparations for a terrorist act in southeastern Hakkari province, the regional governor's office said. The owner of the house where the suspects were found was also detained.In Erzurum province in eastern Turkey, a court ordered the arrest of two people, who were detained earlier during operations against the PKK.Meanwhile, a terrorist was "neutralized" during clashes between security forces and the terrorists in Hakkari, Turkish General Staff said Friday. Also, two PKK terrorists surrendered in southeastern Sirnak province's Silopi district, the Turkish military added.Turkey faces a general election re-run on Nov. 1, while counter-terrorism operations continue in the southeast and an ongoing civil war rages on along its southern border in Syria.Turkey has been hit by a wave of attacks since the Suruc bombing on July 20. Since then, the PKK -- which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the U.S. -- renewed its armed attacks mostly in the country's eastern and southeastern regions, which resulted in the derailment of the "solution process".The PKK was one of the groups blamed for the Oct. 10 Ankara bombings at a peace rally that killed 102 people. The July 20 bombing in Suruc that killed 33 people was blamed on ISIS. Several suspects behind the killings have been detained in country-wide operations.