54 PKK militants ‘neutralized’ in security operations last week

ANKARA

A total of 54 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants were “neutralized” in security forces operations across Turkey over the past week, the Interior Ministry stated on May 29.

Authorities use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply the militants in question were either killed, wounded or captured. 

According to the ministry statement, 46 of the militants were killed and the other eight surrendered to security forces during operations conducted between May 22 and May 29.

During the operations a total of 27 weapons including heavy and long barreled weapons and rocket launchers, 2.5 tons of explosive material, 32 hand-grenades, 3,200 items of ammunition and 11 hand-made explosives were also seized, the ministry stated.

Security forces also destroyed 11 sanctuaries and caves used by the militants across eight provinces, it added.
Meanwhile, another 170 suspects were also detained for allegedly “aiding and abetting” the organization in 483 operations launched over the same period.

Separately, the Diyarbakır Governor’s Office announced late on May 28 that a curfew was imposed in 59 villages within the boundaries of the Lice, Hazro, Dicle and Kocaköy districts ahead of the security forces’ operations targeting PKK militants and their possessions there.

The curfew went into effect as of 6 p.m. on May 28 and would continue until further notice, the governor’s office said.

In addition, security forces seized a number of weapons and ammunition inside caves used by PKK militants in the Beytüşşebap district of the southeastern province of Şırnak, the governor’s office stated on May 29. 

The governor’s office said security forces spotted 22 new caves belonging to the militants near the Mount Kato region where operations have been continuing for the past 41 days.

Some 22 Kalashnikov weapons, one anti-tank weapon, four G-3 infantry rifle, one sharpshooter rifle, 1,621 Bixi rounds of ammunition, 970 rounds of anti-tank ammunition, 723 rounds of Kalashnikov ammunition, 386 rounds of various ammunition, 24 hand-grenades, 180 liters of diesel, 97 propane cylinders and a number of other objects were seized in the operation, it said. 

A total of 676 weapons, 341,142 rounds of ammunition, five tons of ammonium nitrate explosives and more than 75 tons of other objects used in daily life have been seized since April 19, according to the statement.