Huge amount of explosives ‘that could destroy a city’ seized in southeast Turkey

ISTANBUL

Turkish police are on high security alert after a large amount of explosives were seized in the southeastern province of Gaziantep.

Police seized 150 kilograms of C4 explosives, 20 vests for suicide attacks, and a number of guns and bullets in the operation, daily Habertürk has reported.

The amount of explosives could destroy a middle-sized city, the report stated.

Gaziantep Police Department head Ali Gezer previously said people "would be terrified" if he announced the amount of weapons and ammunition seized by police in the recent operation.

Police are considering the possibility that the ammunition could belong to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), after initial suspicion had focused on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). 

They are reportedly considering that the seized explosives could be part of ammunition that was allegedly deployed by ISIL in big cities, the report added.

Red alerts have been issued in many cities, including Istanbul and Ankara.