December 02, 2016•Update: December 03, 2016
ERZURUM, Turkey
Over 300 PKK terrorists were “neutralized” in security operations inside and outside Turkey in November, according to army figures compiled by Anadolu Agency.
In operations carried out between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30, a total of 317 terrorists were neutralized: 275 were killed, 23 captured and 19 surrendered themselves to the authorities.
The Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply the terrorist in question was either killed or captured.
Fourteen security personnel were martyred and 18 civilians lost their lives in the same period. More than 100 other people were injured.
In that period 560 PKK suspects were arrested, 367 of whom were taken into custody.
Among those detained were the co-chairs of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, the HDP Group Deputy Chairman Idris Baluken, HDP lawmakers and the co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Sebahat Tuncel.
In addition, a 400-meter tunnel between Syria's Qamishli province and the border town of Nusaybin in Turkey's southeastern Mardin province was uncovered.
Security sources said the tunnel -- which contained explosives -- was made to transfer materials between the PKK/KCK and PYD/YPG terrorist organizations.
The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July last year.
Since then, more than 300 civilians and nearly 800 security personnel have been martyred. Around 8,000 PKK terrorists have been killed or apprehended.
Reporting by Yunus Okur;Writing by Tutku Senen
