Over 30 PKK terror suspects arrested in Turkey

By Cemal Asan and Ekrem Payan

VAN/SIRNAK Turkey

At least 32 people were arrested on Monday across Turkey for their suspected links to the PKK terror group, the gendarmerie said Monday.

In eastern Van province, nine suspects were held in Ercis district, the gendarmerie said in a statement.

Separately, the local gendarmerie in southeastern Gaziantep province arrested 10 suspects, including senior members of the terror group, during operations at different addresses across the city center.

The suspects were accused of attending an unauthorized demonstration on Oct. 6-7, 2014 on the pretext of Daesh terror group’s attack in Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), a northern Syrian city.

In southeastern Sirnak province, the local gendarmerie units arrested 13 suspects in Beytussebap district for allegedly aiding and abetting the terror group, sources told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU. The group waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years and has been responsible for the death of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.