Eleven people were arrested early yesterday in an operation targeting the PKK terrorist group in the capital Ankara, security sources said.
Counterterrorism forces conducted an operation at dawn to apprehend 15 suspects allegedly linked to the terrorist group, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.
Eleven suspects, including two heads of the pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) district branches of Etimesgut and Mamak, were taken into custody during the raid and four others linked to the probe are still at large the sources said.Also, 12 people were detained in seven districts of Istanbul in a counterterrorism operation launched after security forces received a tip-off regarding preparation to commemorate the anniversary of the PKK terror group's first armed attack occurred on Aug. 15, 1984, in southeastern Siirt province.
Meanwhile, Turkish forces have killed 28 terrorists in a week of operations, according to the Interior Ministry yesterday.
In a briefing, the ministry said 28 PKK terrorists were killed, 14 others surrendered to the security forces and one was detained during counterterrorism operations in the eastern and southern provinces of Mardin, Muş, Tunceli, Hakkari and Diyarbakır in the last week.
Turkish forces also destroyed 15 shelters and weapon depots, as well as defusing 15 improvised explosive devices and mines.
Almost 2,800 kilograms of bomb-making materials were seized, as were 47 firearms — including 33 heavy and long-barreled weapons.
In around 1,200 counterterrorism operations across Turkey, security forces detained 319 suspects on charges of aiding PKK terrorists.
Eighty-seven people were held for allegedly being linked to the Daesh terrorist organization and 267 were investigated on charges related to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
Three people were also held on alleged links to left-wing terror groups.
In operations targeting narcotics and smuggling, security forces seized 1,132 kilograms of cannabis, 152 kilograms of heroin, 3 kilograms of cocaine and 1 kilogram of methamphetamine.Over 16,860 pills were seized along with 2.2 million cannabis plants, over 671,000 packets of smuggled cigarettes plus a large quantity of illegal fuel.
President Erdoğan speaks to mother of teenager killed by PKK
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on the phone on Sunday with the mother of the teenage boy who was killed by PKK terrorists late Friday.
Eren Bülbül, 15, died from wounds sustained as he helped gendarmes track PKK terrorists in Maçka, a town 22 kilometers (14 miles) south of the Black Sea province of Trabzon. Gendarmerie Master Sgt. Ferhat Gedik, 41, was injured in the same incident and later died from his wounds. A Justice and Development Party (AK Party) delegation visited Eren's house in Maçka on Sunday and during the visit AK Party Deputy Chairman and Istanbul deputy Ravza Kavakçı Kan called President Erdogan. Kan later gave the phone to Eren's mother Ayse Bülbül to speak to Erdoğan, who offered his condolences on the phone. "We will take his [Eren's] revenge in a very different way," Erdoğan said to her.
The PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU — resumed its armed campaign against Turkey in July 2015. Since then, it has been responsible for the deaths of some 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians, including women and children.