ANKARA
A total of 316 children, all under the age of 18, have been allegedly kidnapped by suspected members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) between August 22, 2013, and August 22, 2015, data provided by Turkish security sources revealed Monday.
According to figures provided by Turkey's Counter-Terrorism and Operations Department of General Directorate of Security and data compiled by Anadolu Agency, out of the 316 children, 88 were girls.
Also, suspected PKK members allegedly kidnapped 350 people from the beginning of this year until August 22, 2015, while the group was also believed to be behind the kidnapping of about a 1,000 people in 2014, according to the data.
Also, about 2,500 suspected PKK members were believed to be inside Turkey, while more than 9,000 others operate from outside of Turkey, the data said.
Moreover, the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) reportedly had around 5,000 supporters, 500 of whom were ready to help PKK.
Turkey has been carrying out operations against the PKK -- considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the EU and U.S. -- inside and outside Turkey since July 24.
Since July 24, around 1,600 people have been arrested in the wave of counter-terrorism raids amid a spike in attacks targeting security officers after the July 20 deadly suicide bombing in southeastern Suruc district that killed 34. The suicide bombing was blamed on Daesh.
Police have been carrying out nationwide operations to apprehend suspected militants of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Daesh, and the far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) -- all three groups are designated as terrorist groups in Turkey.
