Ankara: Turkish security forces on Wednesday detained at least 37 people over suspected links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and “neutralised” two others as part of anti-terror operations, a cabinet minister said.
“Two terrorists, who were sought with the arrest warrant, were neutralised when they tried to escape across the border in (eastern) Agri province,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media platform X.
Turkish authorities often use the term “neutralized” in their statements to imply the “terrorists” in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
The Turkish government has launched massive anti-terror operations nationwide and carried out two cross-border airstrikes against the PKK targets in northern Iraq after a suicidal attack in the capital Ankara on Sunday.
Two attackers attempted a bomb attack in front of the Turkish Interior Ministry’s building, injuring two police officers.
The ministry said one of the attackers had been identified as a member of the PKK, listed as a terror organisation by Turkey. The PKK has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over three decades.
