Over 1,600 suspects detained in anti-terror operations in one week: Interior Ministry

ANKARA

A total of 1,604 people were detained during operations targeting terror organizations across the country over the past week, the Turkish Interior Ministry announced on Feb. 20.

It stated that gendarmerie special forces, police special forces, and the land and air units of the Turkish Armed Forces conducted 268 operations between Feb. 13 and Feb. 20 against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

A total of 1,067 suspects were detained for allegedly aiding and abetting the organization, with 57 of them were later arrested, according to the ministry.

Meanwhile, a total of 10 militants were also “neutralized” in operations, with three of them killed, one wounded, five captured and the other surrendered to security forces.

Authorities often use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply the militant in question was either surrendered, killed or captured.

According to the ministry, 18 sanctuaries and caves in six provinces, some 31 hand-made explosives and mines were destroyed, while 104 kilograms of plastic explosives, around 3 tons of explosive materials, 14 hand-grenades and 42 weapons, 19 of which were heavy and long-barreled, were seized in operations.

Meanwhile, another 501 people have been detained in operations targeting the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ), which is accused of masterminding the July 2016 failed coup attempt, the ministry said. 

Some 63 of the detained suspects were later arrested.

During the nationwide operations, 21 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) suspects were also detained for their alleged links to the jihadist group, with five of them were later arrested, according to the ministry.

Some 15 suspects were also detained over their alleged links to leftist terror organizations, it added.