Turks capture 14 al-Qaida suspects

ANKARA, Turkey, July 13 (UPI) -- Turkish authorities say they have caught 14 suspected al-Qaida members in raids across three cities.

The Interior Ministry said the operation began Monday when a raid in Ankara seized a suspect and many weapons and documents, Today's Zaman reported. The sweep expanded to Yalova and Bursa Tuesday.

The government also said security forces on the ground and in the air are searching for three people kidnapped in eastern Turkey Saturday.

Suspected members of the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party seized two soldiers and a health official near the town of Lice and left their vehicles on a highway in Diyarbakır, provincial Gov. Mustafa Toprak said.