March 21, 2017•Update: March 21, 2017
By Hasan Namli
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey
A total of 27 PKK terrorists were killed and one other terrorist captured during an operation against the terrorist group in Turkey’s southeastern Diyarbakir province since March 5, according to the local governor's office.
As the Diyarbakir Governor's Office announced in a statement on Tuesday, security forces have conducted broad operations against PKK terrorists in Diyarbakir’s Lice, Kulp, and Hani districts since March 5.
The anti-terror operation in which 7,000 security personnel participated including 16 commando battalions, 742 special operations police and 558 village guards has ended late Monday.
“A Grouse fuse, five M-16 infantry rifles, 2 machine rifles, 15 Kalashnikov infantry rifles, a sniper rifle, 7 pistols, 23 grenades, 13 unlicensed hunting rifles, two jager binoculars, 61 various chargers, 16 cartridge belts, 1,817 cartridges, three base radios, 16 walkie talkies, 33 umbrellas, 10 backpacks, 29 mats, 15 sleeping-bags, three tents, 3,550 kilograms of various food supplies and large numbers of ammunition, living materials and organizational documents were seized,” the statement said.
After checkpoint controls in the region, interrogations were made for 17,279 people and 9,079 vehicles while procedural act was conducted for 32 out of which 12 were remanded into custody and 6 others arrested, the statement read.
During the operation, nine vehicles believed to be used in bomb attacks were seized while 68 shelters and 18 positions used by the PKK were destroyed.
23 improvised explosive mechanisms, 70 propane cylinders used making in improvised explosives, 17 electric detonators and 2,750 meter improvised explosive cables were destroyed at the scene, according to the announcement.
A total of 9,458 kilograms of drugs were also seized in the operation.
More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.
