PKK's recruitment lowest in 30 years: Turkish minister

ISTANBUL

The number of those joining the ranks of the PKK terror group is at its lowest in 30 years, Turkey's interior minister said Thursday.

"There were 15,000 terrorists in the mountains. Now this number has fallen to 700," said Suleyman Soylu, speaking at an event in Istanbul.

"Today, we see that the terror group's recruitment rate is at its lowest in the last 30 years," Soylu added.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years, resulting in the deaths of nearly 40,000 people.

Writing by Fatih Hafız Mehmet