Turkey seizes 2 tons of explosives hidden by terrorists

ANKARA

Turkey's Interior Ministry said on Monday that they have seized a large amount of explosives in southeastern Sirnak province where three terrorists were also neutralized last week.

The ministry stated that 2 tons of explosives, 300 detonators, 700 meters detonating wick, a Russian-made antitank mine, 2 suicide vests, a pistol and silencer, a large round of cable and $1,000 were seized.

On Aug. 17, Turkey launched Operation Kiran in the country's southeast against YPG/PKK terrorists in Van, Hakkari and Sirnak provinces, followed by the launch of Operation Kiran-2 on Aug. 27 in Mardin, Sirnak and Batman provinces. Four more iterations of the operation followed, including Operation Kiran-6, launched on Nov. 13.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

*Writing by Dilara Hamit