Tuncay Kayaoğlu
11 January 2016•Update: 11 January 2016
ISTANBUL
Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
Turkish dailies on Monday covered Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s remarks about the ongoing anti-terrorist operations in the country, swine flu deaths and the capture of Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.
“Operations to continue,” was HABERTURK’s headline for its report on Davutoglu’s remarks on anti-PKK operations.
“We have been working day and night to complete the operations successfully. There is no timeframe. Counter terrorism operations will decisively go on,” the Turkish premier said during his speech at the Justice and Development (AK) Party meeting in Turkey’s western Afyon province Sunday, according to HABERTURK.
“We will end what we have started,” was YENI SAFAK’s headline, while HURRIYET said: “[Anti-PKK operations] will go on until terrorism is over”.
Meanwhile, SABAH claimed that Turkey would establish “special police stations” against terrorists in 37 provinces. “Special forces will be stationed at those stations. They will only deal with terrorist activities,” SABAH said.
The PKK -- considered a terrorist organization also by the U.S. and EU -- resumed its three-decade armed campaign against the Turkish state in late July.
Most casualties in anti-PKK operations since Dec. 15 have been in Sirnak province's Cizre and Silopi districts, and in Diyarbakir's Sur district.
Swine flu was also widely covered. “Swine flu alarm,” was SABAH’s headline, which reported that four people in three provinces lost their lives due to the virus. In total, 16 people died, according to SABAH.
SABAH said the Turkish Health Ministry had taken precautionary measures in several provinces, including Bayburt, Trabzon and Kastamonu, where suspected cases of swine flu appeared.
“Spreading,” was VATAN’s headline for its report on the swine flu.
Swine flu was first reported in Turkey in 2009.
In other news, the Mexican drug lord’s capture was also prominently covered.
“Interview with Penn finished him [El Chapo],” was MILLIYET’s headline, reporting that the Mexican drug lord was captured after an interview with American actor Sean Penn.
“Penn led El Chapo’s capture,” was VATAN’s headline, saying that the interview lasted seven hours and published by the Rolling Stone on Saturday.
A vast manhunt had been deployed to find Guzman after the escape in late July.
The drug kingpin was first arrested in 1993 on drug-trafficking charges and received a 20-year prison sentence but he escaped from the Puente Grande jail in 2001 while hidden inside a laundry cart.
He was caught a second time in February 2014 in Mazatlan, in the State of Sinaloa, before being sent to the Altiplano jail from where he escaped again.
