Turkey: 70 PKK terrorists neutralized over last week

Turkish security forces neutralized 70 PKK terrorists nationwide over the last week, the Interior Ministry announced.

A ministry statement provided information about 774 counter-terrorism operations carried out in the period from June 26 to July 3.

According to the statement, security forces killed 55 terrorists, while four were captured alive, and 11 surrendered.

Security forces also destroyed seven shelters used by terrorists and 34 roadside bombs planted by terrorists.

A total of 129 hand grenades, 65 rifles (including 59 long-barreled rifles), and 2,906 kilograms of materials used for making explosives were seized in operations.

Of suspects with alleged terrorist ties, 252 suspects linked to the PKK, 15 linked to Daesh, 269 to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), and 12 to leftist terrorist organizations were arrested in this period.

According to the Turkish government, FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and some 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

More than 1,200 people, including security personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-long armed campaign in July 2015.