The Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday that two more PKK terrorists surrendered to security forces as a result of persuasion efforts.
According to a statement by the ministry, the terrorists surrendered after the joint efforts by the Gendarmerie General Command, the Police Command and the coordination of the Interior Ministry.
The terrorists had joined the PKK in 2015 and operated in both Syria and Iraq. The number of terrorists that surrendered since the beginning of the year has reached 92 so far.
A significant number of suspected terrorists have begun to abandon the PKK and surrender, but many terrorists lack the courage to leave the terrorist group out of fear of severe punishment if caught.
The PKK's leadership is struggling to recruit both militants and higher ranks, according to reports. Additionally, many terrorists are reluctant to enter Türkiye from Iraq to carry out attacks due to the high number of casualties.
In recent years, Türkiye has stepped up domestic operations and efforts across its borders against the terrorist group and convinced a substantial number of members to abandon the PKK.
Protests by a group of families in front of the pro-PKK Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) headquarters in Diyarbakır demanding the return of their sons and daughters, who were recruited or kidnapped to fight for the terrorist group, have also helped increase the number of people surrendering.
Calls made by the families to their children urging them to return home and surrender, as well as the persuasion efforts by security forces, have been influential.
Meanwhile, Türkiye continued its counterterrorism operations abroad.
At least 18 PKK terrorists were eliminated in northern Iraq and northern Syria in counterterrorism operations carried out by Turkish security forces, security officials said on Wednesday.
The operations by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) were conducted in Gara and Metina regions, said the official on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Six terrorists were killed in northern Iraq. In another counterterrorism operation, the Turkish armed forces killed nine PKK terrorists in northern Syria, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. The terrorists were targeted in the zones of Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Peace Spring.
