The special operations police officers on the exploration and watchtowers deployed on two hills in the Amanos Mountains, where the terrorist organization PKK has been hitting hard, continue their "homeland watch" resolutely during the holy month of Ramadan.
Police officers of the Special Operations Branch of the Provincial Security Directorate, who are on duty in the dominant hills called "Bayraktepe" and "Sancaktepe" in the Amanos Mountains, perform their duties without interruption in difficult conditions, making it difficult for terrorists to operate in the region.
Fighting against terrorism fully equipped with domestic weapons, "Amanos eagles" both watch and shoot at the sight of danger with the locally made tactical wheeled armored vehicle Ejder Yalçın.
The special operators, who are on a "home guard" 24 hours a day, seven days a week, are on the watch for the peace and security of the people. "Amanos eagles" keep a watchful eye on the members of the terrorist organization.
The "homeland guards," who are spending Ramadan away from their families, play an important role in preventing possible attacks on the city center of southern Osmaniye province from the foothills of the mountains.
From time to time, gendarmerie special operations teams go to "Bayraktepe" and "Sancaktepe" and participate in search and screening activities with the police. Gendarmerie and police special operations teams fast together during Ramadan.
Emphasizing that the traces of the terrorist organization were erased from the Amanos Mountains with the operations of the security forces, Yılmaz said:
"Our heroic police officers ensure the safety of the Amanos Mountains. Our heroic police officers are on guard 24 hours a day. We saw the motivation and excitement here. I congratulate them. We are proud of our special operations police. By God’s mercy, our heroic police officers here are safe. The gendarmerie and our police do not allow terrorism in the Amanos Mountains. Terrorism is ending with each passing day."
Turkey’s counterterrorism efforts continue decisively with the cooperation of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the Gendarmerie General Command (JGK), the police force and village guards.
In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
Meanwhile, the country also launched new phases of its domestic counterterrorism operations in the country's southeast, the Interior Ministry announced Thursday.
Newly started operations Eren Cudi-Besta and Eren Kazan-Oğul began with the participation of 5,280 security personnel in southeastern Şırnak and Hakkari provinces, said the ministry statement.
The Eren operations continue successfully with the support of the public in a faithful and determined manner, the statement added.
The new phase of operations began simultaneously with the Pençe-Şimşek and Pençe-Yıldırım anti-terror operations in northern Iraq last week to eliminate the terrorists, completely remove the separatist terrorist group from the country's agenda, as well as to prevent the transit of terrorists between the so-called shelter areas.
In January, Turkey launched Operation Eren, named after Eren Bülbül, a 15-year-old killed by the PKK on Aug. 11, 2017. It aims to eliminate the separatist PKK terrorist organization and clear the region of terrorists.
As part of these operations, a total of 22 terrorists have been killed, 75 collaborative persons detained, 666 caves, shelters and warehouses used by the terrorists destroyed and a large number of weapons and ammunition, food and life-sustaining materials seized.
Turkey also launched operations Kapan and Yıldırım in 2020 to wipe out the terrorist group.
5 PKK terrorists killed in N. Iraq
In cross-border counterterrorism operations, five PKK terrorists were killed in drone strikes in northern Iraq, Turkey's National Defense Ministry said Thursday.
The terrorists were killed by unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) in the Metina and Avaşin-Basyan areas in the scope of the Pençe-Şimşek and Pençe-Yıldırım anti-terror operations, the ministry said in a statement.
The number of terrorists killed in the two anti-terror operations has now reached 42, the statement added.
Operations Pençe-Şimşek and Pençe-Yıldırım were launched in northern Iraq last Friday with the aim of completely eliminating the terrorist threat along Turkey's southern borders.
The PKK terrorist group often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to hide and plot terrorist attacks in Turkey.