Teams from the Istanbul Police Department have found 15 kilograms of explosives, suspected to have been buried by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in a cemetery in Istanbul, Today's Zaman reported.

Counterterrorism teams enforced strict security measures around the Kozlu Cemetery in Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu district, and 10. Yıl Street, which runs in front of the cemetery, has been closed to traffic.

The search was reportedly based on the testimony of 19 suspects detained during anti-PKK operations in Istanbul and Diyarbakır. The explosives unearthed were taken to the Istanbul Police Department for examination.

Responding to questions from reporters in front of the Istanbul Police Department, Istanbul Police Chief Hüseyin Çapkın said the explosives found seem to be of two different types. He said a hand grenade was also discovered during the search.

Çapkın said the explosives found in the graveyard are equal to 500 kilograms of hand grenades. He added that 15 people were detained in relation to the operation.