Hundreds Detained in Second Wave of Raids Across Turkey

• 07.26.2015, 22:50
•  Region

Turkish police detained dozens of people over their suspected ties with  Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in a second wave of raids across the country this week, Zaman reports.

 Ahmet Davutoğlu said at a press conference on Saturday that in addition to 302 people detained on Friday, 288 more were detained in operations that took place in 22 provinces throughout Friday night and early on Saturday. “As of now, a total of 590 terror-linked people who pose a potential threat to Turkey have been detained,” he said.

Police teams raided locations in a number of provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, Adana and Erzincan early on Saturday. In Adana, 54 people were detained in an operation that targeted ISIL and the Patriotic Revolutionist Youth Movement (YDG-H) -- an affiliate of the PKK.

İstanbul police launched an operation backed by helicopters in the Beyoğlu district.  The Konya Police Department also launched an operation against ISIL in the province as well as police in Ankara and Manisa. Among the detainees is reportedly an agricultural worker in Manisa who fought for ISIL in Syria.

Turkish police launched the first raids targeting ISIL, the PKK and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) on Friday in 13 provinces across Turkey and detained 297 suspects.