Turkish security forces proceed with operations targeting terrorist organizations.
In an official announcement made by Turkey’s Interior Ministry it was stated that 65 terrorists were neutralized across the country, between June 19 and 28 June, within the scope of counter-terrorism operations. 36 were killed, while 13 were captured alive and 16 surrendered to authorities.
Interior Ministry declared that 835 aerial and ground operations were launched between June 19 and June 28, 2017 by the Gendarmerie Special Forces (JÖH), the Gendarmerie Commando Units, and the Special Forces Police (PÖH), under the security provided by the Turkish Armed Forces. 866 people accused of aiding and harboring terrorists were taken into custody, according to the statement.
Turkish forces retaliated with artillery fire overnight and destroyed YPG targets after YPG terrorists opened fire on Turkey-backed forces in northern Syria, the Turkish military said on Wednesday.The United States supports the YPG in the fight against Daesh in Syria, despite repeated protests from NATO ally Turkey, which sees classifies the YPG as a terrorist organization.Ankara considers the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is outlawed in Turkey and is also considered a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.The Turkish army said that YPG machine-gun fire on Tuesday evening targeted Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army elements in the Maranaz area south of the town of Azaz in northern Syria."Fire support vehicles in the region were used to retaliate in kind against the harassing fire and the identified targets were destroyed/neutralised," the military statement said.The boom of artillery fire could be heard from the nearby Turkish border town of Kilis, broadcaster Haberturk said.Turkey's Ihlas news agency had reported earlier that the YPG fighters launched intensive gunfire with heavy machine guns around 9:30 pm (1830 GMT) on Tuesday evening from the Afrin region in northwest Syria. It was not clear whether there were any casualties in the exchange of fire.Turkey was angered by a U.S. decision last month to arm the YPG as part of the battle for Daesh's Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. The PKK has carried out an armed insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 and more than 40,000 people have died in the fighting.Faced with turmoil across its southern border, Turkey last year sent troops into Syria to support Free Syrian Army rebels fighting both Daesh and other terrorist forces who control a large part of Syria's northern border region.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Turkey would not flinch from taking tougher action against the YPG in Syria if Turkey believed it needed to.
Turkey returns fire on YPG in northern Syria
50 with suspected ties to the Daesh terrorist organization, and 474 with suspected ties to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ)/ Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)-affiliated Democratic Union Party (PYD) were taken into custody. Moreover, five affiliated with leftist terror organizations were apprehended by the authorities.
In operations carried out, 3 thousand 252 people were detained in total, one thousand 395 for terror crimes (866 from PKK/KCK, 50 from Daesh, 474 from FETÖ/PYD, and five from leftist terror organizations), one thousand 857 for cybercrimes, planned peace, drugs and smuggling operations. Out of the 65 neutralized terrorists, 36 were killed, 13 were captured alive, and 16 surrendered.
344 people were also detained in the operation targeting drug traffickers. Turkish security forces detained 72 suspects for the propaganda of separatist terror organizations such as FETÖ/PYD, PKK/TAK and Daesh which includes praising these organizations, declaring their links with these organizations publicly, promoting hatred and hostility, insulting statesmen and security forces, threatening the indivisible integrity of the state and the public’s welfare on social media accounts.
The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) targeted PYD/YPG sites in Syria’s Afrin with howitzers. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had warned that Turkey would not hesitate to take action against the YPG in Syria.While terrorist targets in the region were obliterated, the ringleader of the terrorist organization delivered a statement.The PYD ringleader Salih Müslim, who called on Russia, said the terrorist organization wanted to cooperate in Afrin.“Afrin is under artillery fire every day. Russia should establish a base here and cooperate with us,” he said.Ankara classifies the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.3 soldiers martyred in SE Turkey PKK attackTurkey returns fire on YPG in northern Syria
PYD ringleader pleads for Russian support following Turkey’s strikes
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.
Following the uncovering of the structure of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) in Belgium FETÖ’s structure in Russia has also been deciphered. Mustafa Okutan, the organization’s imam in Belgium, and Üzeyir Özmen, responsible for part of the organization in Russia between 2007 and 2016, confessed. Özmen, who completed an internship program at the Consulate General of Saint Petersburg, in the statement he gave, described the structure of FETÖ in Russia to the Chief Prosecutor of Konya where he was dubbed as "a suspect".He said FETÖ had divided Russia into five parts, namely Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Saratov and Astrahan. FETÖ used the Russian-Turkish Cultural Center as its headquarters for its activities in Russia. Özmen, who served as a 'deputy city imam’ in FETÖ, confessed that FETÖ’s imam in Russia used the code name ‘Saffet.’Özmen, who stated a code name was given only to the imam of the country, said that the accountant of the country operating under the imam of the country resides in Istanbul. According to the statement, the money collected from FETÖ’s activities in the Zeytinburnu and Bakırköy districts was sent to Russia. The money was transferred to Russia via the Erdemir Exchange office in Istanbul-Şirinevler.Six months before the coup attempt, instructions from the organization's ringleader Fetullah Gülen were sent to Russia. It was determined that imams and accountants across 170 countries, including Turkey, were given instructions to “obtain visas mainly from the US and European countries”. The reason for this was the policy to be vigilant should the coup attempt carried out by FETÖ members in the Turkish Armed Forces fail. In the wake of the crisis between Turkey and Russia, members of FETÖ said, "We will have much better relations with Russia as a result of this crisis. This will be a blessing for us." After the July 15 coup attempt, it was found that members of the Russian Federation had deleted their records from a FETÖ-affiliated school, and they had started to stay at the same houses as Russian students.It is noted that FETÖ members in Russia regularly offered bribes in an attempt to improve their bilateral relations with the Presidency of the Russian Legislative Assembly and increase their efficiency in the Duma Assembly. It was found that Yagna Saidovic, who was responsible for Foreign Affairs of the Saint Petersburg Parliament, had connections to FETÖ and suppressed some politics on behalf of the organization, and, provided some parliamentary entrance cards to some FETÖ members. Within the scope of the investigation, it was found that the members of FETÖ in Russia had nicknamed the US Dollar. FETÖ 'big in Japan,' Turkish foreign minister saysFETÖ members in Russia refer to the US dollar as “lokum (Turkish delight),” while in Turkey, they refer to the dollar as ”Lahmacun (Turkish pizza).” FETÖ was able to easily transfer money through its members who came on holiday to Turkey. In messages on ByLock, FETÖ members said things such as “Bring three lahmacuns,” which meant “Bring $30,000 USD.”Volkan Haznedar and Ali Yilmaz were named suspects in the money laundering group. Ali Yilmaz had a company named “Nimet Lokumları,” and was found to be the one who nicknamed the US dollar as “lokum.”According to information gathered from the investigation file, the organization did not implement the settlement policy, which it had in Russia, in other countries. In Russia, due to the fact that there is a security officer in each apartment, dating from the rules of communism, the police are informed if there are more than three students in a house. Üzeyir Özmen shared with the prosecutor's office the fact that Fetıllah Gülen's nephew Selman Gülen was responsible for the Dialogue-Eurasia Platform in Russia. Selman Gülen frequented Russia, and was recently deported on charges of being an agent, Özmen said. Erdoğan warns against FETÖ threat in AlbaniaOver 20 coast guards accused of FETÖ links in IstanbulEx-Istanbul police chief surrenders on FETÖ-linksPutin says US knew about Turkey’s July 15 coup attempt
FETÖ bribed Russian deputies
FETÖ terrorists are led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, who orchestrated Turkey's July 15 coup attempt and is the mastermind behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Since the failed coup, operations have been ongoing in the military, police and judiciary as well as in state institutions across the country to arrest suspects with alleged links to FETÖ.
The terrorist group is also known for its network comprised of hundreds of schools around the world.