In response to a recent bomb attack near government buildings in Ankara attributed to Kurdish militants, Turkish authorities have successfully apprehended 2,554 fugitives in a nationwide counter-terrorism operation, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. The attack, which occurred a week ago, prompted Turkey to designate all targets associated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia as “legitimate targets.”
The PKK claimed responsibility for the bombing, resulting in the injury of two police officers and the death of the two attackers, who were reported to have come from Syria. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), primarily led by the YPG militia, has been regarded by Turkey as a terrorist organization affiliated with the PKK, although the United States and European Union differentiate between the two groups in their classification.
In the aftermath of the attack, Ankara initiated a series of airstrikes and ground-based operations against militant targets in northern Syria and Iraq, concurrently intensifying security measures within the country.
Minister Yerlikaya announced on the social media platform X that the apprehended fugitives were part of a nationwide initiative called “Operation Heroes.” He affirmed their commitment to preventing fugitive criminals from roaming the streets and vowed to ensure they face justice, although specific details about the captured individuals’ affiliations were not disclosed.
Of the apprehended fugitives, 12 had been sought for over a decade, 91 for 5-10 years, and 2,451 for fewer than five years, as disclosed by Yerlikaya.
The tension between Turkey and the United States over the YPG’s role in the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State militants remains unresolved, with Turkey considering the possibility of a ground operation into Syria in response to the situation.
