Hundreds of Arrests in Turkey After the Death of 13 Turks Hostage in Northern Iraq

More than 700 people have been arrested in Turkey, suspected of having links with the militant Kurdish organization PKK.

 

The arrests follow the discovery of 13 bodies of Turkish hostages in a cave in northern Iraq. According to Turkey, they were murdered by the PKK.

In a cave complex in northern Iraq, close to the border with Turkey, the Turkish army found the bodies of 13 Turkish men soldiers, security forces and civilians who were abducted several years ago.

Twelve of them had been shot in the head, the thirteenth in the shoulder.

During a military operation, the bodies were found that the Turks started last week against the militant Kurdish organization PKK in the mountains of northern Iraq.

According to Turkey, at least 50 PKK fighters were killed in that action. Three Turkish soldiers were also killed.