At least 93 members of the outlawed terrorist organization PKK have been killed in anti-terror operations in Turkey's eastern and southeastern provinces over the past 10 days, the Turkish military confirmed Monday.The military in a statement revealed that the terrorists were killed in Turkey's Şırnak, Hakkari, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Ardahan, Bingöl, Muş and Hatay provinces during counter-terror operations, which targeted the hideouts and routes used by the terrorists.Seventy-one hideouts and caves used by the terrorists have also been destroyed, the military added.Two mortars, 12 anti-aircraft weapons, 313 infantry rifles, four marksman rifles, five rocket launchers, 597 hand grenades, 53 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 2,300 kilograms ammonium nitrate, 30 kilograms explosives, over 150,000 small arms ammunition, cables, fuse and other equipment were confiscated by the military.Five hundred kilograms of powdered marijuana, 52 kilograms of narcotics and 37,000 packages of bootlegged cigarettes were also confiscated in the operations.Meanwhile, Turkish officials detained some 8,755 suspects while trying to unlawfully cross the border.The Interior Ministry has confirmed that 316 PKK terrorists were killed, while 133 surrendered and 187 were captured alive in anti-terror operations in last five months.The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU.Founded in 1978, the terrorist group resumed its decades-long armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.Since then, more than 1,200 people, including security forces personnel and civilians, have lost their lives, while the terrorist group has lost some 10,000 militants, who were either killed or apprehended in anti-terror operations by the Turkish security forces.
Operations against PKK resume without break
In a separate statement, the Interior Ministry said that Turkish security forces more than 600 PKK terrorists have been killed, injured, captured or have surrendered in nationwide counter-terrorism operations since the beginning of this year.
According to the statement issued by the ministry, the security forces conducted a total of 4,786 operations since Jan. 1 until early Monday.
316 were PKK terrorists were killed, 187 were captured alive, six were injured and 133 others surrendered.
The security forces destroyed 657 terrorist hideouts and seized 352 improvised explosive devices and mines, 1,610 hand grenades, 2,000 long and short barrel weapons and 33 tons of explosive materials.
Separately on May 15-22, security forces conducted a total of 541 operations against PKK, in which 44 terrorists were neutralized -- of them 28 were killed, eight were captured alive and eight others surrendered.
During the last week's operation, as many as 222 suspects were arrested for aiding and abetting the PKK, 72 for having suspected links with Daesh, 966 for having alleged connections with Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), and 24 for their alleged links with leftist terrorist groups.
Meanwhile, Turkish General Staff said Monday that two PKK terrorists surrendered to security officials in the southeastern Hakkari province.Soldier killed in clash with PKK in southern TurkeyA soldier was killed in a clash between security forces and PKK terrorists in southern Turkey's Osmaniye on Monday, the regional governor's office confirmed.In a statement, the Osmaniye Governor's Office said that the military sergeant was martyred in the province's Amanos Mountains.Operations against PKK terrorists continues in the area.