site.bta Over 230 Arrested in Turkiye on Suspicion of Membership in Terrorist Organisation

A total of 231 people have been arrested in an operation targeting Kurdish groups carried out in 30 districts in Turkiye, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on the social network "X", formerly known as Twitter.

According to Turkish opposition outlets, 12 journalists, writers and poets are among the arrested Kurdish activists.

Minister Yerlikaya clarified that the arrests were carried out within the framework of the "GÜRZ-27" operation against the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) terrorist group and affiliated Syrian Kurdish organisations.

The operation was carried out in 30 districts, including Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Diyarbakir, Eskisehir, Gaziantep and Tekirdag.

The detainees are suspected of carrying out activities in favour of the PKK terrorist group, providing funding to the clandestine organisation, carrying out propaganda for the PKK on social networks. The individuals are also suspected of participating in illegal street actions and damaging public property.

Following the arrests, journalists' associations have called for a protest to be organised later on Thursday in the Kurdish-populated city of Diyarbakir.

The PKK has been waging an armed struggle against the Turkish State since 1984 and is seen as a terrorist organisation by Ankara, the EU and the US. Tens of thousands have died in the conflict. The group's fighters have bases in northern Iraq and are active in Syria.