ISTANBUL
At least three people have been taken into custody early Wednesday morning in Istanbul for allegedly being linked to the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), police said.
Backed by helicopters, police raided 12 different locations in the districts of Esenyurt, Kucukcekmece and Bagcilar, seizing one automatic rifle and a number of documents.
According to police sources, the operation is ongoing and the number of suspects detained will increase.
Turkey has been carrying out operations against the PKK -- considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the EU and U.S. -- inside and outside of Turkey since July 24.
Since July 24, around 1,600 people have been arrested in waves of counter-terrorism raids amid a spike in attacks targeting security officers after the July 20 deadly suicide bombing in the southeastern Suruc district that killed 34. The suicide bombing was blamed on Daesh.
