53 PKK militants killed in Turkey’s east and southeast

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Turkish security forces have killed 53 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in operations in the eastern and southeastern provinces in the past week, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement on June 23.        

The statement said 53 militants were killed in the Şırnak, Hakkari, Diyarbakır, Bingöl, Elazığ and Siirt provinces.        

Among the killed militants are regional leader “Sefkan,” codenamed Kenan Kahraman, who was wanted under a Turkish grey notice; “Hakkı,” codenamed Yasin Atak, who is believed to have been responsible for the Şenkaya-Göle area and “Alişer,” codenamed Zeynal Leblebici, who was said to have been responsible for the Şenkaya-Göle area and wanted under a Turkish green notice.        

Hand grenades, machine guns, rocket launchers and other various weapons were seized during the operations, it added.        

Around 3,890 kilograms (8,575 pounds) of ammonium nitrate, gas cylinders, mines and a large amount of ammunition, cables and fuses - possibly used in bomb making - were also captured.        

Fifty-eight shelters as well as caves and storages used by militants were destroyed.        

Contraband confiscated in the past week included 3,655,301 hemp roots, 2,767 kilograms of powder cannabis as well as 8,857 kilograms of powder hashish, 7,400 liters of smuggled fuel and 34,480,110 smuggled cigarette packets.        

The statement also added that 7,851 illegal migrants were stopped at Turkey’s borders.        

Ten soldiers were killed and 36 others were injured in anti-terror operations.