On Friday Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said that the PKK terror group's ultimate aim is to destroy youths' future through attacking their educational facilities and employment opportunities. The minister also announced that 342 major terror plots were prevented in 2016, including 23 suicide attacks.
Speaking during a graduation ceremony for gendarmerie and Coast Guard students in Ankara, Soylu said, "No terror organization can survive without human support. This is why terror groups don't just target civilians, soldiers or the police. They target industrial vocational high schools that cost TL 22 million ($5.76 million), libraries and other job sites," he said, adding that terror groups prefer youth without education or occupation.
The interior minister added that Turkey's response to terror groups would be to ensure the maintenance of order, unity and peace.
The interior minister said 342 major terror plots were prevented in 2016, a year in which Turkey faced several attacks against its citizens. He said: "342 major incidents were prevented. Among these, 247 were through explosives, and 23 were suicide attacks. Terror groups also suffered in recruiting manpower this year."
On Jan. 5, police in the western İzmir province stopped a major car bombing being planned by the PKK terrorist group. A police officer intervened, and a court clerk died when the car bomb exploded prematurely outside a courthouse, killing two suspects.
In 2016, Turkey fell victim to a dozen major terror attacks, most of which were carried out by the PKK, its affiliate group, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) and Daesh. In addition to its fight against the PKK and Daesh, Turkey has also simultaneously put forward a strong fight against the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), as well as the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which carried out the July 15 coup attempt.
