By Ferdi Turkten
This year's operations of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) against the so-called senior members of the PKK terror group have dealt a heavy blow to the organization, according to security sources.
In line with Türkiye’s strategy of "eliminating the threat beyond the border," anti-terror operations targeting PKK members in Syria and Iraq continued uninterruptedly throughout the year.
The intelligence “neutralized” as many as 201 terrorists, including the so-called senior staffers, in 181 operations, which were mostly supported by drones.
A total of 45 targets, including critical energy and infrastructure facilities such as refineries, oil wells, power plants, and weapons and ammunition depots in northern Syria, were also destroyed.
Türkiye also neutralized 38 so-called organization leaders, as well as terrorists who carried out attacks and provided weapons, funding, and personnel to terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq.
Sources said the targeting of mid-level and high-level officials, critical to the group’s financing and logistics activities, caused great damage to the organization.
Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is its Syrian branch.
- Air operations prevent PKK terror activities
The MIT’s intelligence work in the field and its mostly drone-supported operations, insiders said, led to conflicts within the PKK, and terrorists started blaming each other due to security concerns, and the process of reckoning within the organization began.
The pressure created on the group by air operations led to ruptures within the organizational structure. Terrorists, long part of the terror group, are now trying to surrender to the security forces. It has been learned that participation in the organization has dropped significantly.
The so-called leaders of the PKK were unable to carry out their activities comfortably in Syria and Iraq due to the impact of air operations. The so-called administrators, who could not organize meetings with large participation due to the risk of being targeted, had difficulty in conveying their instructions to their members. This situation also dealt a blow to the organization's decision-making mechanism.
- Terrorists forced to live in tunnels
It was determined that the terrorists have been forced to live in tunnels to protect themselves from constant aerial reconnaissance activities. This situation has disrupted the psychology of the so-called high-level officials of the organization, and also caused an increase in health problems.
The PKK, which had difficulty in recruiting personnel for the organization, started to change the responsible members in its armed structure because they were unsuccessful.
The "forced recruitment" carried out by the organization, especially in Syria, also drew the reaction from people in the region.
People in northern Iraq moved away from the activities organized by the terror group, thinking that "the existence of the PKK harmed them.”
Intelligence operations of MIT in Syria and Iraq also restricted the communication and coordination between the regions. Communication was disrupted between the so-called leaders of the terror group in Qandil and its members in various regions in Türkiye, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
- Wanted terrorists neutralized
The MIT neutralized Abdurrahman Cadirci, one of the so-called leaders of PKK in the Qamishli district of northern Syria on June 23. He was in the red category of Türkiye's wanted list and sought by Interpol with a red notice.
Senior members Zeki Gurbuz, codenamed Ahmet Sores, and Ozgur Namoglu, codenamed Firat Neval, were also neutralized in an operation in Hasakah, Syria, on Jan. 6.
Osman Nuri Ocakli, codenamed Yilmaz Behrares, who was on the wanted list, was targeted in the Ayn al-Arab region of Syria on June 17.
Remzi Avci, codenamed Ciya Amed, was neutralized in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq on Nov. 14. He was the so-called Kirkuk officer of the PKK.
Fahrettin Tolun, codenamed Hayri Serhat, was eliminated on Nov. 23 in Rumeylan, northern Syria. He was said to be responsible for supplying heavy weapons to the organization.
Zulfiye Binbir, who managed the revenue of PKK and its affiliates such as the YPG, and Sebahat Ormanli, who ordered attacks in metropolises, were also among the terrorists targeted.
The Turkish intelligence also neutralized Ridvan Ulugana, one of the so-called senior members of the group, and Fehmi Ogmen, one of the so-called senior executives of PKK in northern Iraq, and Mehmet Salih Cakal and their drivers Ahmed Muhammed Ali, codenamed Ararat Tolhildan.
- Point operations against so-called executive staff
Anti-terror operations were carried out against Saad Ali Bedel, codenamed Ceko Pir, and Sabri Abdullah, codenamed Mazlum Karamok. Bedel was neutralized in Sinjar district and Abdullah in Ayn al-Arab.
In May, Haydar Demirel, codenamed Bager Turk; Tuba Karakoc, codenamed Zin Kobani/Cudi Egid, and Necirvan Seven were also targeted.
Bekir Kina, codenamed Bawer Botan, who was trained to assassinate members of the Turkish armed forces, police, and intelligence, was killed in June; Mesut Celal Osman, one of the so-called Sinjar office bearers of the PKK, was killed in July, and Hicran Icuz, codenamed Vejin Jiyan, was neutralized in August.
The MIT also killed senior terrorists Rezan Gungen, codenamed Rezan Botan; Uman Dervis, codenamed Sara/Servin Derik; Mazlum Ozturk, codenamed Berxwedan Ciyager, and Muhtesim Akyurek, codenamed Serhad Serhildan.
In October, Muzdelif Taskin, the so-called Syrian public order officer of PKK; Muhammed Azo, codenamed Sibli Derik; Ilyas Biro Eli, and Sariye Atilla were neutralized.
- Point operation 230 kilometers from border
Terrorist Ali Subasi, codenamed Idris Serhat, one of the so-called responsible for PKK and its Syrian offshoot YPG; Mutlu Kacar, codenamed Karker Andok, allegedly responsible for Ayn al-Arab, and Ayse Arslan, codenamed Tekosin Cizre, one of the PKK's so-called officer in Hakurk, were the terrorists neutralized in November.
The intelligence also targeted Yadin Bulut, codenamed Rizgar Suvar, the so-called responsible for drug trafficking and money laundering activities, and Gulsume Dogan, codenamed Jiyan Mardin, said to be responsible for extortion and providing personnel on behalf of the organization, in November.
The two terrorists neutralized this month were identified as Bager Ondes, responsible for drones used by the PKK/YPG in its attacks in the Tal Rifat region of Syria, and Hesen Mihemedi, codenamed Erdal Amed, the so-called Asos regional officer of the PKK.
The MIT also neutralized Sirvan Hasan, codenamed Roni Velat, a so-called field officer in Deir ez-Zor in Syria, approximately 230 kilometers (142 miles) from Türkiye.
*Writing by Gozde Bayar