Recruitment numbers of the PKK terror group have declined to a 30-year-low, as the group was only able to lure 54 new members to its ranks in the past eight months, according to an exclusive report by Sabah daily's Okan Müderrisoğlu.
The new recruit numbers sharply declined as a direct result of Turkey's anti-terror struggle assisted by psychologists, lawyers and legal experts, who visited families whose children or relatives are active PKK members.
Experts informed families about possible scenarios that their militant kin could face, and assisted them in convincing the militants to leave the group.
As a result, the families have convinced more than 500 militants to lay down arms since the start of 2017.
Meanwhile, security forces continue anti-terror operations against terrorists who refuse to surrender. According to a recent report submitted to the recent national security council, the Turkish military has destroyed 119 cave hideouts belonging to the terror group. Major PKK ammunition depots at Gabar Mountain and Mount Judi have also been rendered useless.
Over the past week, 14 terrorists were killed and 13 surrendered in anti-terror operations across Turkey's southeast, the interior ministry said Monday.
During the week, 1,518 counter-terrorism operations led to 150 PKK-linked arrests; 74 for suspected links to Daesh; 448 for suspected of ties to the Gülenist terror group (FETÖ); and 18 arrests for suspected links to far-left groups.
