Turkey arrests 1,700 people for suspected terrorist contacts

Istanbul: Some 1,700 people have been arrested in Turkey in the past eight days as suspected followers of the exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, Kurdish guerrillas or the Islamic State terrorist group, the Turkish Interior Ministry said.

Special forces of the Turkish police arrested a total of 508 alleged militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK), considered a terrorist organisation in Turkey, of whom 78 were remanded in custody, Efe news agency reported.

During the more than 200 raids against the PKK, police agents killed four people, the Turkish ministry said. They also seized of 60 kilos (132 pounds) of explosive material, 12 hand grenades and 36 weapons.

Also, 1,096 alleged Gülen followers, who Ankara accuses of having been behind the failed attempted coup of last July, were also picked up. In addition, Turkish police have arrested 78 alleged members of the IS, of whom 12 have been remanded in custody.

Under the state of emergency imposed since the failed coup, Ankara has ruled by decree and made decisions that can not be revoked by the Constitutional Court.