PM: 50,000 foreign Daesh suspects deported from Turkey


Turkey has so far intercepted and deported over 50,000 foreign Daesh suspects trying to enter the country, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım confirmed Friday.

Speaking at a meeting on public security and counterterrorism at the Gendarmerie General Command in Ankara, Yıldırım said Turkey is the only country in the world that is waging a war against three terrorist organizations at the same time.

The prime minister said that the country's security forces took all necessary precautions to prevent the flow of terrorists.

"Over 50,000 Daesh suspects trying to enter Turkey have been intercepted and deported," Yıldırım said, adding that thousands of others have been detained in counterterrorism operations.

On Thursday, counterterrorism forces in eight cities detained 62 foreigners for alleged links to Daesh. Security forces detained some 634 suspected Daesh members across the country in November. According to Anadolu Agency (AA), among the detainees were foreigners and senior members of the terrorist group. Of them, 91 have been remanded to custody and are awaiting trial.

Security forces have also foiled a number of suicide attacks planned by Daesh and have also seized arms and ammunition.

THE PKK'S END IS NEAR

Yıldırım also said that the end of the PKK is near and confirmed that the gendarmerie, police and military will continue their operations against the terrorist group.

"We can say that the PKK will not be able to recover again. The end of its terrorist activities in Turkey is very near," Yıldırım said.

He added that security forces would spare no effort in rooting out the terrorist group, but he acknowledged the group could try to defame innocent people.

"Unfortunately, since it does not have any sacred values, it can easily defame innocent people as group members. We are aware of this."

Yıldırım said Turkey's fight against the PKK last year had turned into an "epic" struggle.