Turkey detains 44 over Istanbul terror attacks
Turkey has detained 44 people suspected of planning terrorist attacks carried out in Istanbul last year by a militant group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an official says.
In a statement released on Thursday, Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said the suspects had had links to the outlawed “Kurdistan Freedom Falcons,” an offshoot of the PKK, and that they had been detained during anti-terror operations carried out in four Turkish provinces.
The official said one of the detainees had been suspected of organizing a December 2016 bombing attack near the Besiktas soccer stadium in Istanbul, which killed 46 people. The governor added that another suspect had been the organizer of a car bomb attack on a bus carrying riot police last June. That attack left 11 people dead.
Sahin said the outlawed militant group had claimed responsibility for both attacks.
The PKK has claimed several other attacks against civilians and security forces in the recent past.
For nearly two years, Turkey has been engaged in a massive crackdown against the PKK in its Kurdish-dominated southeast. The military claims that it has killed thousands of PKK militants in security operations, although rights campaigners and pro-Kurdish political parties say civilians have been killed in the operations, too.
Hamas denies reports about political bureau relocation to Turkey as false
BRICS offers Turkey partner status, says Turkish minister
Erdogan claims Turkey has 'severed all ties' with Israel
Lindsey Graham threatens to sanction US allies backing ICC arrest warrants
VIDEO | Tens of thousands of Catalans protest to demand access to better housing
Israel launches air strikes on Syria-Lebanon border crossing
Russia: Comprehensive deal with Iran will include defense, security ties
VIDEO | Israeli embassy shooting in Jordan leaves gunman dead, 3 police injured
VIDEO | Paris march in support of Palestine women
VIDEO | ICC issues arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister, ousted regime war minister
120 Palestinians perish as Israeli war machine keeps ravaging Gaza
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
