ANKARA, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye has escalated its operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) following a terrorist attack in northern Ankara on Wednesday, according to a cabinet minister.
In nationwide counterterrorism operations conducted across 31 provinces, 176 suspects allegedly linked to the PKK were detained, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media platform X, without specifying the time frame of the raids.
Yerlikaya explained that the detainees were identified as participating in the PKK's operations, including being part of its youth wing, financing the group and spreading propaganda through social media platforms.
Additionally, some were allegedly involved in illegal demonstrations, where they blocked roads, burned tires, and used stones, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails.
During the operations, the authorities also seized a significant amount of unlicensed firearms, hunting rifles, narcotics, as well as organizational documents and digital materials linked to the group, he added.
In a separate statement, Yerlikaya said a high-ranking PKK member, Ramazan Aktas, codenamed "Farasin-Bedran," was "neutralized" during a counterterrorism operation in the southern province of Mardin's Artuklu district.
"We will not stop until the last terrorist is neutralized," Yerlikaya said.
Also on Friday, Turkish security forces detained 35 suspects for allegedly trying to incite street unrest on behalf of the PKK in Türkiye's largest city, Istanbul.
Prosecutors found that 34 of the suspects were part of the organization's youth structure and were planning to carry out street actions, primarily involving Molotov cocktail attacks.
Two assailants -- a man and a woman -- carried out the terror attack on the production facilities of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) in Ankara. Both attackers have been confirmed as PKK members, according to Turkish authorities. ■
