Over 20 militants ‘neutralized’ last week: Turkish Interior Ministry
ANKARA – Anadolu Agency
At least 24 militants were “neutralized” during counter-terror operations across Turkey last week, the Interior Ministry said in a weekly statement on May 14.
The authorities often use the word “neutralized” to imply that the targets in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.
The ministry said security forces carried out 1,821 counter-terrorism operations between May 7 and 14, adding that one militant was killed, 14 were captured, and nine others surrendered to authorities.
During the operations, 132 people were also arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and 22 others for suspected links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Another 967 people were arrested over alleged links to what the authorities call the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), while two others were arrested over links to leftist groups.
During the operations, security forces also destroyed seven shelters including caves and 10 hand-made explosives held in the eastern provinces of Hakkari, Bitlis, Şırnak, Tunceli, Mardin and Kahramanmaraş, the Interior Ministry statement added.
