ANKARA: More than 600 people were arrested during last two days by Turkish police over alleged links to Kurdish militants, state media said on Tuesday.
The nationwide crackdowns were initiated across Turkey against Kurdish militants ahead of April 16 referendum citing replacement of parliamentary system with the stronger presidency sought by President Tayyip Erdogan.
According to state-run Anadolu agency, Turkish counter-terrorism police on Tuesday detained 86 suspects having ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group in dawn raids across Turkey, whereas, 544 were held a day earlier.
It is noteworthy to mention here that the Erdogan-led government accused the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), parliament’s second largest opposition party, of being a political extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). PKK is designated a terrorists group by Turkey, European Union (EU) and United States (U.S.) over launching an armed insurgency against Turkish state in 1984 which resulted loss of more than 40,000 lives after ending of ceasefire in July 2015.
On the other hand, the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) alleged that the crackdowns were targeting the political party in order to hold referendum with the HDP.
(Image Courtesy: Daily Mail)
