26 Turks detained over PKK links

Turkish police forces detained 26 suspects over alleged links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and another suspect for alleged links to the Gulen Movement, in separate operations, local sources reported on Saturday.

As part of an investigation by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 26 suspects detained following simultaneous house raids in Istanbul and southeastern province of Diyarbakır. The suspects are claimed to have alleged links with PKK.

Another suspect who has been sought for four years for his alleged links to Gulen movement, was detained in capital Ankara with a fake identity card.

The PKK is an armed group, which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for almost four decades. The group is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey. Ankara blames Gulen movement, led by a U.S.-based preacher Fethullah Gulen for orchestrating a failed coup in 2016. Gulen denies the involvement.

Over 75,000 people have been detained in Turkey in the last five years on terrorism charges, around 19,000 of whom were arrested and imprisoned.