Turkish security forces 'neutralize' 27 terrorists

ANKARA

Security forces neutralized 27 terrorists across Turkey over the past week, the country’s interior ministry said on Monday.

According to ministry information, 14 terrorists were killed and 13 surrendered between July 31 and Aug. 7.

During the week, there were 1,518 counterterrorism operations which led to 150 arrests for aiding the PKK; 74 arrests for suspicion of links to Daesh; 448 on suspicion of ties to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO); and 18 arrests for suspected links to ultra-left groups.

Anti-drugs operations

Turkish anti-drugs teams conducted just over 1,800 operations across 76 provinces, the statement added, leading to several seizures of narcotics. These included 4,409 kilograms of cannabis, 86 kilograms of heroin, 156,476 tablets as well as smuggled tobacco and fuel.

In a crackdown on illegal migration, at least 2,532 individuals were detained, including 65 who allegedly aided people smuggling.

In other operations, 163 people were arrested over illegal street trading, and 157 were detained on charges of making "terror propaganda" on social media.

Reporting by Mehmet Tosun; Writing by Meryem Goktas