The New Turkey
Terror in Turkey

22 November 2019:

Police had prior information on deadliest terror attack in Turkish history, new documents reveal

According to new documents the Turkish police had prior intelligence about the preparations for a 2015 suicide bomb attack in Ankara at least eight days before the incident, which killed more than a hundred people, the Cumhuriyet daily reported on Friday.

The report said the documents revealing the negligence of the officials were not presented to the court until recently, adding that they were provided to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office by an unidentified person one year after a trial of suspects in the attack began in November 2016.

The documents indicated that Yakup Şahin, a member of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) who brought the suicide bombers to Ankara before the attack in late September 2015, attempted to buy two tons of chemicals used in bomb making from a pesticide seller in Gaziantep’s Nizip district. When he was asked for an identity card, he left the shop.

The owner of the shop notified police about the attempt, and they identified the intended buyer.

The local police later informed counterterrorism units in Gaziantep city; however, the ISIL cell masterminding the attack obtained the necessary chemicals from another source, according to the investigation.

On Oct. 10, 2015 two suicide bombers attacked a peaceful demonstration in front of the Turkish capital’s landmark railway station in Ulus. One hundred nine people died and some 500 others were wounded in the blasts.

3 August 2019:

Turkey takes firm steps toward eradicating terror threats

One-hundred-sixty-five terrorists in total including two from the blue category, two from the orange category and 13 from the grey category of the most wanted list of the Ministry of Interior were killed in counterterrorism operations, Interior Ministry Deputy Minister İsmail Çataklı said, revealing the steps the country is taking and their success against terrorism.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) were successful in numerous operations carried out in July and eliminated 17 high-ranking terrorists. In the operation at Mount Tendürek on July 28, one of the terrorists killed, Uğur Arslan, code named Agir, was in the orange category of the Interior Ministry's wanted list. He was sought with a bounty of TL 600,000 on his head.

Another terrorist, Meryem Aksu, was on Turkey's most-wanted list. Aksu, code named Sorhin Eruh, was neutralized in a July 16 operation carried out by provincial gendarmerie forces in the rural areas of Kulp district. The orange-listed Aksu had a TL 600,000 bounty on her head. In addition, two listed in the blue category, Taylan Kutlar, code named Şeydo, and Hülya Kül, code named Şevin, who had bounties of TL 1.5 million were also killed.

Police detain 735 PKK terrorists, supporters in Turkey-wide operations

Turkish security forces detained hundreds of members and supporters of the PKK terror group, the Interior Ministry said Sunday.

Some 735 suspects were apprehended Friday as part of 156 operations across Turkey, the ministry said.

The suspects were planning to organize massive demonstrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the capture of the imprisoned leader of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, who was detained in Kenya on Feb. 15, 1999, as well as to spread chaos ahead of March 31 local elections in Turkey.

The security forces also seized six long-barreled guns, 32 hunting rifles, 14 heavy weapon ammunition, 19 handguns, other various ammunitions, 1 hand grenade, 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of TNT, 225 kg of ammonium nitrate, 16 mines and improvised explosive devices. Source