Over 6,700 terrorist neutralized since 2016 in Turkey

By Orhan Onur Gemici and Sertac Bulur

ANKARA

More than 6,700 terrorists have been neutralized during the operations since 2016 across Turkey, according to figures compiled by Anadolu Agency.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question were either killed, captured or surrendered.

As a part of operations for homeland security conducted by gendarme special forces, gendarmerie commando unit, police special forces across Turkey, over 31,000 operations in 2016, more than 51,000 others in 2017 and over 26,000 in 2018 were launched in rural areas by land and air bodies of Turkish Armed Forces.

Nearly 1,000 shelters in 2016, over 1,800 others in 2017 and 649 till May, 2018, used by terrorists, were destroyed by security forces.

In 2016, more than 3,700 terrorists were neutralized, including 719 killed, over 1,500 alive and 506 surrendered while last year, nearly 2,300 terrorists were neutralized, including 1,150 killed, over 500 alive and nearly 500 surrendered during counter-terrorism operations conducted by security forces across the country.

Also, around 650 terrorists have been neutralized by security forces, including 237 alive, 197 killed and 217 surrendered this year.

In 2016, a total of 1,634 out of 43,988 suspects taken into custody were arrested whereas nearly 96,719 out of 30,333 suspects taken into custody were arrested in 2017. Additionally, 20,214 out of 3,579 suspects taken into custody were arrested in 2018.

Meanwhile, nearly 339 terrorist activities in 2016, 697 others in 2017 and 147 until May, 2018 were prevented.

In the operations conducted since 2016, unmanned air vehicles played a role in detecting 500 terrorists; armed unmanned air vehicles were also used to hit terrorist targets. Additionally, 239 shelters were hit during the operations in which unmanned air vehicles and armed unmanned air vehicles were used.