Turkish police thwarted seven terrorist attacks in the first 11 months of 2025 and detained more than 2,063 suspects in counterterrorism operations nationwide, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Dec. 17.
Speaking at a meeting with police chiefs from all 81 provinces, Yerlikaya stressed that one of the strongest pillars of public security in Türkiye is the government’s goal of a “terror-free Türkiye,” referring to the government’s counterterrorism initiative.
“This goal is not a wish, but a state policy,” he said, adding that terrorism should not be viewed solely as a threat to human life. “We show zero tolerance to terrorism in all its forms, branches and justifications.”
Under the initiative, PKK first declared a ceasefire before announcing plans to disarm and dissolve. A first group of members burned their weapons in July, while the group said in late October that it had withdrawn from Turkish territory.
Detailing operational efforts, Yerlikaya said that through November of 2025, security forces under the Interior Ministry detained 2,063 individuals in operations targeting terrorist organizations, while preventing seven planned attacks.
He added that security forces continue uninterrupted search-and-sweep operations in rural areas, strengthen territorial control through aerial assets and systematically destroy caves and shelters to eliminate terrorists’ mobility and logistical capacity.
The minister also addressed operations against organized crime groups, noting a recent surge in such activities.
Authorities dismantled 273 organized crime networks, leading to the detention of 4,267 suspects and the seizure of assets worth approximately 129 billion Turkish Liras.
