19 January 2016•Update: 20 January 2016
SIRNAK, Turkey
Public order has been restored in the southeastern town of Silopi following a weeks-long curfew and counter-terrorism operations carried out against the terrorist PKK group, the governor of Sirnak province announced Tuesday.
A total of 136 PKK terrorists have been killed in Silopi since counter-terror operations began in Dec. 15 -- one day after the establishment of the curfew -- Turkish military said Monday.
Governor Ali Ihsan Su said that the operations against PKK terrorists, who use ditches and barricades to keep police and soldiers out of certain neighborhoods, had been successful and public order had been restored in Silopi.
"All barriers and ditches have been removed, terrorists have been neutralized, and peace has been restored," Su told reporters, adding that a total of 518 barriers and 270 ditches had been removed and 800 makeshift explosives defused in the town.
"The security forces also seized a large amount of ammunition, long-barreled rifles, handguns, rocket launchers, hand grenades, makeshift explosives as well as written documents," he said.
The governor cautioned the public to stay "vigilant" and inform security forces of "suspicious" activity.
The governor's office announced Monday that the ongoing military curfew in the town was going to be lifted between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day as of Tuesday.
The curfew will still be in place from 6 p.m. until 5 a.m., the statement said.
