Turkey kills 36 PKK terrorists, captures 13 in 10 days

Security forces killed 36 PKK terrorists and captured 13 others during antiterrorism operations carried out in the country between June 19 and 28, Turkish Interior Ministry said Wednesday.

A statement released on the ministry's website read that 16 terrorists surrendered to security forces during the 835 operations launched over the last 10 days.

The ministry said that of the 1,395 terror suspects taken into custody, 866 were PKK suspects, while 50 others were arrested over alleged links to Daesh. Security forces also detained 474 people suspected of having links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), and five others over alleged links to leftist terrorist groups.

The operations also led to the seizure of 42 weapons, 306 kg of explosive materials, 37 hand grenades, two explosive vests, and 19,000 ammunition rounds while 17 improvised explosives and mines were defused and 27 PKK shelters were destroyed in southeastern Turkey.

Separately, seven PKK terrorists were killed Wednesday in southeastern Hakkari's Yuksekova district after they were spotted by Turkish drones along the Iraqi border, according to a security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media.

More than 1,200 people, including security personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-long armed campaign in July 2015.