In a weekly press conference, Metin Gürak, head of the communications department of the General Staff, added that 10 other terrorists were released pending trial and eight others were arrested. The remaining two are still facing judicial proceedings. Gürak complained that the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) continued its bloody acts though it declared a unilateral ceasefire in April.
Among the acts perpetrated by the PKK were 45 mine attacks against security forces and civilians, arson of four different buildings, the abduction of five individuals and many minor attacks on soldiers. Gürak's press briefing came after a nearly two-month hiatus. In the briefings, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) provides press members with an overall evaluation of the week's military developments in the country, including the fight against terrorist groups.
Yesterday Gürak also provided press members with the scheduled meetings of Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ with generals from foreign countries. Başbuğ is set to pay a visit to Belgium on Sept. 7 and meet with Adm. James Stavridis. The Turkish general will be visiting Germany between Sept. 8 and 10, a first in 13 years.
Gürak also expressed the expectation of the General Staff for those behind the highly disputed “Action Plan to Fight Reactionaryism” to be put on trial. The document details a plot to undermine the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the faith-based Gülen movement.
“The TSK is expecting those who manufactured that document and leaked items to the press to be put before the court. We are closely following the developments,” Gürak noted.
Though the suspected document bears the signature of senior naval forces Col. Dursun Çiçek, the General Staff claimed that it was manufactured outside of TSK headquarters with the ultimate purpose of damaging the Turkish military.
