Turkey nabs senior terrorist in east

ANKARA

A senior terrorist was arrested Wednesday in eastern Turkey, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.

Gendarmerie and anti-terror teams in eastern Van and southeastern Sirnak provinces conducted a joint operation to nab Ercan Yacan, codenamed Ferman, who was detected to be carrying out activities as the so-called team commander in northern Iraq’s Qandil Goshine region last year, the ministry said on Twitter.

Yacan was arrested in Van province, it added.

The terrorist was active in youth branch of the organization. He received so-called special forces training in 2014, joined the rural branch of the terror group in 2015-2016 and then he was active in Syria and northern Iraq.

Most recently, Yacan was recruiting for PKK/KCK terror group in Van province, the ministry added.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is PKK's Syrian offshoot.