Turkey arrests 8 foreigners over links to PKK, Daesh

KAYSERI, Turkey

At least eight foreigners were arrested in central Turkey over their suspected links to PKK and Daesh/ISIS terror groups, police said on Thursday.

Anti-terror units of the police conducted an operation in the central Kayseri province and arrested eight suspects, according to the provincial security directorate.

A number of digital materials were also seized in the operation.

Five of the arrested suspects were active members of the PKK terror group, while the other three of the Daesh/ISIS terror group.

Legal procedures are ongoing for the suspects.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

In 2013, Turkey became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist group.

The country has since been attacked by Daesh/ISIS terrorists multiple times, with at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed attacks that killed 315 people and injured hundreds more.

In response, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.

*Writing by Burak Dag in Ankara​​​​​​​