Spain arrests nine accused of association with the PKK

Spanish police arrested nine people accused of being associated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) on Wednesday, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The PKK, which is fighting for autonomy for Turkey's Kurds, is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The decades-long conflict has cost more than 40,000 lives. The operation, which remains open, also searched 11 houses during dawn raids in Madrid, Valencia and Bilbao, the ministry said.

"The police operation was against the structure of education, training and integration in military apparatus of the terrorist organisation PKK-KCK, which operates in Turkey and Syria," the ministry said.