In Türkiye, a major security operation unfolded in the wake of Sunday’s bombing at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Within the last 48 hours, authorities announced the arrest of more than 145 individuals as part of a sweeping nationwide crackdown. The assailants who targeted the ministry were described as wearing explosive vests and attempting to breach the building’s doors. The incident, claimed by the PKK, a Kurdish separatist group that has waged conflict with Turkey since the 1980s, resulted in the deaths of two alleged militants. Two police officers sustained minor injuries during the confrontation.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya noted that the arrests followed hours of coordinated police work, executed by a force of 13,000 officers operating across the country. He emphasized the government’s stance against criminal networks and those who supply them with weapons, promising justice for those who threaten the safety of Turkish citizens. Authorities reported the seizure of around 1,000 weapons during the crackdown.
Alleged links
Evidence gathered during the operation indicated a notable presence of members linked to the People’s Democratic Party, abbreviated as HDP in Turkish, a pro-Kurdish political formation that holds a significant presence in Parliament. The HDP has faced extensive legal scrutiny and political pressure for years, with ongoing actions that could culminate in its formal closure. European human rights authorities have previously stepped into Turkey’s political arena, condemning certain measures related to the party’s status. In response to the arrests, HDP representatives asserted their commitment to protecting the rights and freedoms of all citizens, with Istanbul-based provincial co-chair İlknur Birol stating that the party would continue to defend civil liberties regardless of the state’s actions. A second provincial co-chair, Murat Kalmaz, was among those detained.
Beyond arrests, Türkiye announced additional military operations in response to Sunday’s attack. The campaign targeted PKK targets in northern Iraq, particularly around the Qandil mountains, a region long associated with the group’s base of operations. Turkish officials framed the action as a broader effort to neutralize threats emanating from the cross-border militant network. In public remarks on Sunday afternoon, the president signaled a readiness to deploy a renewed security approach if such threats persisted, a stance that has frequently been echoed in Turkish policy toward the Kurdish issue. The discussions highlighted the ongoing regional dynamics involving Turkish forces, Kurdish factions, and allied regional actors, with the YPG presence noted as a factor in the broader security calculus in northeastern Syria.