27 militants ‘neutralized’ over past week across Turkey: Interior Ministry
ANKARA – Anadolu Agency
The Security Forces “neutralized” 27 militants across Turkey over the past week, the Interior Ministry stated on Aug. 7. According to the ministry’s statement, 14 militants were killed and 13 surrendered between July 31 and Aug. 7.
During the week, there were 1,518 counterterrorism operations that led to 150 detentions for aiding the PKK, 74 detentions over suspicion of links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), 448 over suspicion of ties to the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) and 18 detentions over suspected links to ultra-left groups.
[HH] Anti-drugs operations
Anti-drugs teams conducted just over 1,800 operations across 76 provinces, leading to the seizure of narcotics, the statement added.
The seized narcotics included 4,409 kilograms of cannabis, 86 kilograms of heroin, 156,476 tablets, and smuggled tobacco and fuel.
In a crackdown on illegal migration, at least 2,532 individuals were detained, including 65 who allegedly aided people-smuggling.
In other operations, 163 people were arrested over illegal street trading and 157 were detained on charges of making “terror propaganda” on social media.
Meanwhile, one PKK militant was killed in a counter-terrorism operation in the eastern Turkish province of Bingöl on Aug. 6, according to the provincial governor’s office.
The operation was carried out in the Ceribas area of the Adaklı district, the statement said.
In a later statement, the governor’s office said another PKK militant surrendered to the security forces in the Yayladere district’s Kalkanlı village.
On Aug. 6, PKK militants attacked village guards protecting an oil exploration area in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır.
Three village guards were injured after PKK militants opened fire with long-barreled weapons in Diyarbakır’s Hazro district. The injured village guards were taken to the Selahattin Eyyubi State Hospital.
