'Cyber capabilities of Turkish police second to none’

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

The cyber capabilities of Turkey’s police force are the best in the world by all standards, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Friday.

During his visit to police headquarters in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Soylu praised the success of the Turkish police force in fighting cybercrime and terrorism.

He said Turkey had a very good year in the fight against organized crime, bringing down 275 criminal gangs in 2018.

"The cyber capabilities of the Turkish police force are second to none in the world," Soylu said.

Referring to the night of the failed coup bid in 2016 by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Soylu said the strength shown by Turkey's police force has been an example to the whole world.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

"On July 15, our police force achieved a heroic success," Soylu said.

He added that the Turkish police force is also simultaneously fighting against FETO, the PKK/YPG and Daesh with great success.

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 some 40,000 people.