Government focuses on 12 locations as anti-PKK fight intensifies

The government has employed a new strategy in its fight against the PKK terror organization, with operations in 12 different locations aiming to neutralize the group.

The new strategy, drafted during the National Security Council meeting last week under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will focus on eliminating the group's logistical camps in 12 districts of southeastern Diyarbakır and Mardin provinces, and Van province in the east. The camps are used to prepare traps and handmade explosives, as well as providing other support.

The government will clear out PKK militants from all southeastern districts, starting with Silopi, Lice, Kulp, Varto, Silvan, Dargeçit, Gabar and Cudi. It will also make permanent 40 out of the 200 temporarily established security points in areas previously cleared.

The government has further announced that while offensive operations will continue during the winter months, so will the investigations on municipalities supporting the PKK.

Security sources have stated that the terror group has been retreating from urban areas amid intensified operations and are cornered in rural areas.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, and resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.