UK Counterterrorism Police Arrest Six in PKK-Related Investigation

British police announced on Wednesday the arrest of six individuals and the search of a Kurdish community center in London as part of a counterterrorism investigation into suspected activities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is banned in the UK.

The detainees include four men and two women, aged between 23 and 62, with police confirming no immediate threat to the public, as reported by Reuters.

Acting Police Commander Helen Flanagan stated, “These activities follow a significant investigation into activities we believe are linked to the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party.”

She added, “These arrests target specific individuals suspected of involvement in PKK-related terrorist activities.”

The PKK, established in southeastern Turkey in 1978, aims to create an independent Kurdish state. It was banned in the UK in 2001. The conflict, ongoing for 40 years, has claimed over 40,000 lives.

British police are searching eight locations across London, including a Kurdish community center in the city’s north, which could remain closed to the public for up to two weeks.

Flanagan emphasized, “This investigation and these operations are aimed at protecting all our communities, particularly the Turkish and Kurdish ones. I encourage anyone who feels impacted or targeted by PKK-related activities to contact us.