Turkey Arrests 282 Suspects in Nationwide Crackdown on PKK, KCK Affiliates

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Tuesday that 282 individuals suspected of being affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) have been arrested in a series of nationwide operations conducted across 51 provinces over the past five days.

Yerlikaya, in a statement shared via his social media account, detailed that security forces, in coordination with Provincial Security Directorates, Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices, and the Anti-Terror Department of the General Directorate of Security and Intelligence, carried out targeted raids aimed at individuals suspected of financing the PKK, distributing banned publications supporting the organization, and participating in street violence.

According to the minister, the operations resulted in the detention of 282 suspects. Security forces also confiscated a cache of weapons, including two AK-47 rifles, eight unlicensed hunting weapons, eight pistols, and various digital devices believed to contain evidence of organizational activities.

In a parallel series of coordinated operations early Tuesday morning, Turkish authorities conducted simultaneous raids across nine other provinces, leading to the arrest of an additional 52 individuals suspected of involvement with the PKK and KCK.

Among those detained is the Istanbul branch president of the Labor Party (Emek Partisi), highlighting the wide scope of the crackdown.

Authorities also reported the seizure of a substantial number of digital materials, which are now under forensic examination. The Turkish government has frequently emphasized the role of digital communications and encrypted messaging in terrorist activities, making the confiscation of such devices a key component of counterterrorism efforts.

The Turkish government has long pursued an aggressive stance against the PKK and its affiliates, labeling them as terrorist organizations. Security operations targeting individuals accused of links to the group have intensified in recent years, particularly in urban centers where the government claims PKK-linked activities have expanded.

The latest wave of arrests follows a broader pattern of crackdowns on individuals suspected of involvement with the group, which Ankara holds responsible for decades of armed conflict and unrest. Turkey continues to stress its commitment to national security, vowing to prevent any resurgence of PKK activities within its borders.

However, human rights organizations and political opposition groups have frequently criticized these mass arrests, arguing that they often target activists, journalists, and opposition members under broad anti-terrorism laws. The arrest of a high-profile political figure, such as the Istanbul branch president of the Labor Party, has further fueled concerns over potential political motivations behind the detentions.

As investigations continue, Turkish authorities are expected to expand their scrutiny of detained individuals’ financial transactions, digital communications, and affiliations. The government has pledged to remain steadfast in its fight against organizations it deems a threat to national security.