Turkey police detains 371 in nationwide raids against Daesh, PKK

A total of 371 suspects have been detained across Turkey in police operations against terrorist organizations on Saturday.

The suspects are accused of being members of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) and Daesh, attacking security forces and staging illegal demonstrations.

Most of the detentions happened in eastern provinces, where the Kurdish population is concentrated. Police have seized guns, ammunition, hand-made explosives, machetes, fireworks, and petrol bombs.

In the southeastern province of Diyarbakir, police launched an operation at 90 locations and detained 53 suspects suspected of affiliation with the Kurdish Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement (YDG-H), a youth organization founded by PKK sympathizers.

The police seized 3 guns, 3 rifles, 4 chargers, 2 machetes and organizational documents during the operation across Diyarbakir province.

In Mardin, a total of 27 people were detained after the anti-terrorism police launched an operation in Kiziltepe, Midyat and Nusaybin districts.

In eastern Sirnak province, five people suspected of attending illegal demonstrations held by the YDG-H were detained and found to be in possession of 342 bullets, 32 fireworks and knives.

In southern Adana province, a total of 54 people were detained on suspicion of being members of Daesh group and the pro-Kurdish YDG-H.

Western Izmir province saw eight detentions, whereas 19 were detained in the southwestern province of Aydin and a total of 14 others affiliated with Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLK-P) were detained in southern Antalya province.

Seven each were detained in Bursa and Kocaeli provinces.

In addition, a total of 16 suspects were detained in the capital Ankara, Konya and Manisa provinces; one woman, identified F.K., was said to be among those who are sought on the suspicion of being a suicide bomber.

A total of 16 suspects were detained in Batman province, four in Siirt, 16 in eastern Van, 20 in southeastern Sanliurfa, 15 in southeastern Adiyaman, two in eastern Hakkari, four each in eastern Mus and Tunceli provinces, eight each in eastern Elazig and Erzincan, 16 in eastern Agri, and six in eastern Igdir province.

Five out of the eight suspects detained in Elazig were affiliated with Daesh militant group.

Earlier, police also launched an operation Saturday morning in Istanbul and held 8 people, with two guns, many bullets, organizational documents and digital material.

In two days of raids early on Friday and Saturday morning, police held a total of 590 people, including at least 37 foreigners, suspected of having ties with terrorist groups across the country, said Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

An official total number of detentions has yet to be issued, and seven of the suspects detained Saturday were later freed.

Turkey has stepped up efforts against Daesh since a suicide attack on Monday allegedly carried out by the group killed 32 people in southeastern Sanliurfa province.

Two policemen were killed in retaliation on Wednesday. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for that attack.

On Thursday, gunfire from Syria killed a Turkish military officer and injured two troops in southern Kilis province, prompting Turkish forces to return fire.

Since the early hours of Friday, a total of 297 suspects, including at least 37 foreigners, had been detained across Turkey in a nationwide anti-terrorism operation. Many of those detained are thought to be linked to groups like Daesh, the PKK and its youth wing, and the leftist DHKP-C.

And late Friday, Police have been targeted in two southeastern Turkish provinces, leaving at least 10 policemen injured in explosives attacks and one officer kidnapped, officials said.

On Friday evening, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the U.S.-led anti-Daesh coalition can deploy its manned and unmanned aerial vehicles at bases inside Turkey.

Turkish Air Forces would also take part in coalition airstrikes against the terrorist group, the ministry said in a statement.