PKK kidnaps 10 in Iğdır while police detain many in operations against KCK

A group of PKK operatives set alight an automobile belonging to the Iğdır Special Provincial Administration in a region near the Ağrı Mountains late on Monday. The terrorist group later kidnapped an engineer, a civil servant and eight others. Security units have launched a rescue operation. The PKK also kidnapped a woman and nine men in Lice, a district of Diyarbakır province, last Tuesday, but these people were released on Sunday.

The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the United States, has been waging a bloody war in Turkey’s Southeast since 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed so far in the conflict.

The terrorist organization is based in northern Iraq and launches attacks on Turkey from its hideouts in the mountainous region. The PKK also operates in various European cities.

Nineteen people were detained as part of operations against the KCK in the Doğubayazıt, Patnos, Tutak and Diyadin districts of the eastern province of Ağrı on Tuesday. The Ağrı Police Department Counterterrorism Unit simultaneously raided the office of the Doğubayazıt Municipality, many houses and businesses. Along with others, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Doğubayazıt district branch head İsa Özer was detained by police during the operation on charges of being a member of the KCK.

H.I., who allegedly heads the women’s branch of the KCK in Ağrı, is among the detainees. Moreover, V.B., who is suspected of heading the Ağrı branch of the KCK, was also detained in the western province of İzmir.

In an operation against the KCK in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş, BDP Kahramanmaraş provincial branch head Metin Gönülsan, BDP Pazarcık district branch head Ayşe Sonzamancı and BDP Elbistan district branch head Hüseyin Yıldız and party member Mahmut Aktaş were detained. All were arrested by a Malatya court after questioning on charges of involvement with the KCK.

Another 12 were detained as part of simultaneous operations against the KCK in the southeastern and southern provinces of Siirt, Bitlis, Diyarbakır and Mersin on the same day.

According to a written statement released by the Siirt Governor’s Office, the Siirt Gendarmerie Command had launched the operation in coordination with the public prosecutor’s office based on a tip-off.

Those who were detained face charges of engaging in the illegal activities of a terrorist organization, of working for the recruitment of new militants and of gathering intelligence for the organization. The investigation continues.

Additionally, another hearing of the case against the KCK, which is being heard by the Diyarbakır 6th High Criminal Court, was held on Monday. According to evidence presented in court during the hearing, the KCK used municipal funds from southern Turkey in educating new militants and members of the organization.

Meanwhile, suspects who face charges of taking part in a bomb attack on Friday in Pınarbaşı, a district of the central province of Kayseri, that killed a policeman and wounded several, including civilians, were sent to Ankara on Tuesday after they were questioned by the Kayseri Police Department’s Counterterrorism Unit. Police said the suspects had confessed to taking part in the planning and implementation of the attack. The investigation will from now on be headed by an Ankara specially authorized court that tries terrorism cases.