Turkey arrests nine suspected PKK members in Mersin: State media

30-09-2022
Rudaw
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Turkey on Friday said it had arrested nine members suspected of operating for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the southern province of Mersin, a day after the group claimed responsibility on an attack in the province. 

“An operation was carried out with the support of the special operations police to catch the suspects whose identities and addresses were determined,” Turkey’s state-owned Anadolu Agency reported, adding that nine suspects were captured by the police. 

A tenth suspect was not located at his residence and could not be found, according to Anadolu. 

The People’s Defense Forces (HPG), the armed wing of the PKK, said on Thursday that two of its female members were responsible for carrying out an attack in Mersin’s Mezitli district which led to the death of one police officer and the injury of another, calling the Turkish intelligence service “weak” for failing to identify the fighters.

The PKK is an armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. Ankara considers it a terrorist organization and targets it at home as well as southward across the border with Iraq and Syria. 

Earlier in September, another anti-PKK operation in Mersin resulted in the arrest of eight suspects, according to Turkish state media. 
 

Comments

Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.

To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.

We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.

Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.

Post a comment

Required
Required
 

The Latest

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, speaking to Rudaw wearing a Kurdish scarf (pushi) on his shoulders, on November 16, 2024. Photo: Rudaw

Istanbul’s Imamoglu urges Turkey to reinstate ousted Mardin mayor

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Saturday visited veteran Kurdish politician Ahmet Turk in Mardin and called on the Turkish government to reverse its controversial decision to remove Turk from his post as mayor.