Major op nets 98 PKK suspects across 18 provinces

The Interior Ministry has announced the apprehension of 98 individuals over their alleged ties to the PKK in an effort spanning 18 provinces.

One of the biggest busts occurred in the southeastern city of Mardin, where 17 suspects were detained for disseminating PKK propaganda through their social media accounts.

The operation also resulted in the confiscation of blank firing guns, cartridges and a cache of banned publications, the ministry said in a written statement on Nov. 27.

In southern Adana city, 13 suspects were apprehended for their involvement in PKK activities and propaganda on social media.

Similarly, in nearby Osmaniye, a dozen suspects were captured for operating within the organization and promoting its agenda through social media.

Gaziantep also witnessed the arrest of nine individuals allegedly connected to the PKK. In Bursa and Şanlıurfa provinces, seven individuals each, with previous ties to the PKK, were taken into custody.

Additional seizures occurred in Ağrı, Antalya, Elazığ, Hakkari, Kocaeli, Muğla, Yalova, İzmir, Adıyaman, Siirt and Konya cities.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.