Turkey has previously pointed out that Sweden is not doing enough to stop the terrorist group PKK from operating in the country. This assessment is now also supported by the Swedish Security Service.
The terror-classified PKK group is successfully recruiting and financing terrorists from Swedish soil, according to the Swedish security service.
However, the group does not pose a direct threat of attack against Sweden.
– However, we see that they are engaged in supporting activities that may be incitement, recruitment and terrorist financing to support terrorist activities, in another country or Sweden, says Susanna Trehörning, deputy head of counter-terrorism at Swedish Security Service, to the Swedish news agency TT.
According to her, the financing of terrorism is “significant”.
– I won’t go into the exact amounts, but they are substantial.
She does not say how many sympathizers the PKK has in Sweden. However, the number is estimated to be large due to the large migration from Turkey and the Middle East.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was founded in 1978 as a Marxist party.
The movement's goal was a Kurdish state in south-eastern Turkey and adjacent parts of neighbouring countries.
In 1984, the PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in the fight for independence.
The PKK is labelled a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the US.
In 2015, around 45,000 people were estimated to have been killed in 30 years of fighting between the Turkish military and the PKK.
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The number of shootings in Sweden has almost halved compared to last year – but at the same time, bombings have increased dramatically. According to new statistics from the Swedish Police Authority, over 100 bombing incidents have occurred so far this year, representing a doubling compared to the same period in 2024.
During the first six months of this year, police have recorded 84 shootings. This marks a significant decrease compared to the first half of 2022, when 205 shootings occurred, resulting in 34 deaths and 49 injuries. The number of people injured in shooting incidents has also gradually decreased since then. However, the 2025 statistics include the school attack in Örebro, central Sweden, where ten people lost their lives.
This development comes against the backdrop of Sweden’s long-standing struggles with organized crime, where violent gangs, often with immigrant backgrounds, have spread fear in both major cities and smaller towns. For several years, authorities have struggled to effectively address the escalating violence – but according to police, certain measures are now showing results.
– In both physical and digital environments, as well as in investigations, we are now faster and more efficient, which has enabled us to prevent impending crimes and increase the clearance rate of deadly gang-related violence from about 20-30 percent to about 60 percent in recent years. This partly explains why we’re seeing fewer shootings, says August Knutsson, operational coordinator at the Swedish Police’s National Operations Center.
More bombings during winter months
While shootings have decreased, another form of violence has increased significantly. So far this year, 104 explosions have occurred – double the number compared to the same period in 2024, when 52 bomb attacks were recorded.
– This is obviously serious, and we’ve noticed that criminal groups have shifted their methods and carried out more bombings during winter and spring. Often for extortion purposes, to intimidate or threaten. However, since the beginning of the year, when we saw a sharp increase in completed bombings, they have decreased. We’re arresting more perpetrators during the preparation stage than before, explains Knutsson.
He emphasizes that the situation is still considered very serious and that gang violence could soon escalate again:
– At the same time, the conflict level remains high, and we know from experience that the situation can change rapidly. We’re doing everything we can to keep violence levels down.
The US command ship USS Mount Whitney, often referred to as a “floating Pentagon” due to its advanced command systems, has docked at Frihamnen port in Stockholm, Sweden.
The visit marks the conclusion of a month-long mission in the Baltic Sea where the vessel played a leading role in the extensive NATO exercise Baltops, working alongside Swedish personnel among others.
The vessel serves as the flagship of the US Sixth Fleet and is designed to command complex and extensive military operations. At 200 meters in length, it is equipped with advanced communication and command systems that make it a hub for US naval operations.
– We usually call it a floating Pentagon because our main strength lies in communication and command systems, says Jonathan Desimone, Command Systems Officer aboard, to Swedish public broadcaster SVT.
During the recently concluded Baltops, an annual NATO-led exercise in the Baltic Sea, USS Mount Whitney played a key role. The Swedish Navy participated with a submarine, among other assets, and several Swedish liaison officers were aboard as part of the NATO staffing.
– We had several Swedish liaison officers aboard throughout the exercise as part of the NATO staffing, says Commander and Captain Colin Price.
– We are here to participate in Baltops 2025 and to demonstrate US presence. Our goal as a naval force is freedom of navigation and regional stability, he further states.
— US Embassy in Sweden (@usembsweden) July 1, 2025
No plans to leave Europe
Price emphasizes the value of the exercise and multinational NATO cooperation – but critics suggest the ship’s visible presence in Stockholm could also be interpreted as a show of force directed at Russia, rather than a purely diplomatic visit.
Meanwhile, the Baltic Sea has been characterized by increased military activity, with both NATO and Russia conducting parallel exercises. During Baltops, Russian fighter aircraft were observed flying near USS Mount Whitney in international airspace.
– I wouldn’t call them incidents, but yes, we had interactions with aircraft flying near Mount Whitney, Price comments and explains:
– During Baltops, we’re in the middle of the Baltic Sea and it’s international airspace where aircraft can fly wherever they want.
During Donald Trump’s presidency, there have been reports and signals suggesting that the US plans to significantly reduce its military presence in Europe. However, according to the commander, there are no such plans for USS Mount Whitney.
An unprecedented low number of children are being born in Sweden, and the reasons are said to be numerous – from war, climate alarmism, and economic anxiety to fear of childbirth.
Mother of four Anna Björklund argues that rapid digitalization and increased screen time have had a major impact and describes how children today are often perceived as an annoying disturbance that many would rather avoid.
The Swedish government recently announced the formation of an expert group to investigate why birth rates are declining and whether this trend can be reversed. The work is based on a similar study recently conducted in Finland.
One of the group’s members is mother of four, podcaster, and author Anna Björklund, and on Swedish public television SVT, she highlights digitalization as a possible key factor.
– Personally, I believe one piece of the puzzle is that we who are having children now, or should be having children now, are the first generation that grew up with the internet.
“Demanding presence”
Björklund is uncertain whether the trend can be reversed but sees possibilities to influence the development. She describes how children today are often perceived as demanding – not necessarily because of the children themselves, but because adults are not present.
– I’ve noticed that people see children as very annoying. That they talk about children as very troublesome, and when I tell people I have many children, they say it sounds exhausting. What they mean is that children demand presence in the room, and if you don’t respond to the subtle animal-like signals from a baby, it will scream.
– When parents have so many things competing for their attention and causing them not to be present in the room, children are perceived as very difficult. Then the question is, should the children be removed, or should humans as a species learn again to be present in the room? Personally, I think perhaps the latter, she says.
Constant browsing on smartphones has made us less present in the moment. Photo: Tim Mossholder/Unsplash
In Finland, where birth rates have also fallen to record low levels, a government study has recently analyzed the causes of declining childbirth. Anna Rotkirch, research professor and director of the Population Research Institute in Finland, particularly points to the difficulty of finding the right partner on public television.
– This is a new trend, young adults’ relationships don’t last nearly as long as they did for previous generations, she explains.
Rotkirch also emphasizes digitalization as a possible explanation for the changing relationships.
– It’s difficult to see anything else that would have changed globally over the past 15 years when we see this unexpectedly strong decline in fertility.
“Deteriorates young women’s mental health”
The population researcher emphasizes that more research is needed to understand the full impact of digitalization on birth rates. But there are already clear signs that screen time and social media have negative effects – particularly on young women’s mental health.
– We know that social media in particular has deteriorated young women’s mental health, and we know that mental health problems and loneliness make it much harder to find a partner and start a family, she says and adds:
– It also affects the quality of relationships. We know that screen time itself, regardless of what you do on the device, makes you less satisfied with your relationship and increases the risk of divorce.
According to Animal Rights Sweden (Djurens Rätt), Sweden is now completely free from caged hens – despite the absence of a legal ban.
This is shown by statistics compiled by the animal rights organization from Swedish county administrative boards and the egg industry. The organization describes it as a breakthrough after more than 50 years of work against cage farming and claims a significant part of the credit for this development.
– Sweden being cage-free is enormously important for the hens – and a victory for all who have stood by their side. Animal Rights Sweden’s members have shown that change is possible, even when politics fails,says Benny Andersson, Secretary General of Animal Rights Sweden.
According to the organization, Sweden is the first country in the world to eliminate caged hen farming without an explicit legal prohibition.
“Advocacy work makes a difference”
Opposition to cage farming began in the 1970s. In 1988, the Swedish Parliament decided to ban cages, but when the ten-year transition period expired, cage farming remained – and the law was changed. According to Animal Rights Sweden, this led to an intensification of their work.
The organization highlights reports such as “The Hen or the Egg” (2009) and “Release the Cages” (2022), along with recurring information campaigns and corporate dialogues. Another important step was the “Animal-Friendly Municipality” initiative, where all Swedish municipalities eventually opted out of caged eggs in public procurement.
Since 2008, over 85 companies in Sweden – including grocery chains, hotels, and restaurants – have rejected cage farming after discussions with the organization. According to Animal Rights Sweden, this has been crucial for the development. They estimate that at least 17 million hens have avoided a life in cages since then.
– It’s the committed animal friends around Sweden who have brought this to shore. We have influenced companies, municipalities, and run campaigns without giving up. This is clear proof that long-term and persistent advocacy work makes a difference, says Benny Andersson.
“Sweden must take the next step”
In parallel, Animal Rights Sweden has been involved in the EU’s work to phase out cage farming. The organization has collected over 50,000 signatures for the European Citizens’ Initiative “End the Cage Age”. A legislative proposal was expected in 2023 but has been postponed to 2026.
Even though cages are practically gone in Sweden, Animal Rights Sweden argues that the work is not finished.
– We have seen fantastic development, but now Sweden must take the next step. Animal Rights Sweden demands an immediate legal ban on cage farming. There’s nothing to wait for now, urges Benny Andersson.
Despite the empty cages, many critics argue that Swedish hens still live under substandard conditions – for example, in crowded barns with thousands of individuals, where access to outdoor areas is often completely lacking.
1988 – A new Swedish animal welfare law promises to ban cage housing. At this time, 95 percent of Sweden's laying hens are kept in conventional battery cages.
1997–2005 – The promised cage ban is withdrawn. Only conventional battery cages are banned. Egg labeling is introduced to allow consumers to opt out of cage eggs.
2008 – Djurens Rätt (Animal Rights Sweden) launches its first major corporate campaign against cage eggs. Hemköp, a Swedish grocery chain, becomes the first to take a stand. At this time, 40 percent of hens are kept in cages.
2013–2017 – Several major Swedish grocery chains, including Coop, Willys, Lidl, Netto, and City Gross, stop selling cage eggs. The proportion of caged hens drops rapidly.
2017 – Djurens Rätt expands its work to include private label products in retail chains. The proportion of caged hens decreases to 13 percent during this period.
2019 – After dialogue with Djurens Rätt, Sweden's three largest wholesalers adopt policies against cage eggs. The "Free the Cages" campaign is launched. The proportion of caged hens drops to 8 percent.
2020–2021 – The EU Commission promises to implement a ban on cage farming, following the End the Cage Age citizens' initiative, where Djurens Rätt was a driving force.
2021 – After a 13-year campaign, ICA (Sweden's largest grocery retailer) says no to cage eggs. 95 percent of Swedish municipalities have also opted out of cage eggs in public procurement. Only 3.5 percent of hens are now kept in cages.
2024–2025 – The wholesaler Martin & Servera completes its phase-out of cage eggs. In total, over 85 companies have adopted policies after dialogue with Djurens Rätt. Less than 1 percent of hens are kept in cages.
2025 – Djurens Rätt receives official confirmation: All cages in Sweden are now empty.
