Turkish intelligence neutralizes senior PKK commander in KRI

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Turkish intelligence forces announced the neutralization senior Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) commander Nusrettin Demir in an operation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

Demir held a senior position within the PKK in the Gara region in the KRI, as he was preparing attacks alongside other militants in the same area, Anadolu Agency quoted security sources.

He is also known by his alias Kurtay Batman, who joined the PKK in 2014, and was active in the organization's operations in Syria between 2016 and 2021.

The senior commander reportedly participated in planning attacks targeting Turkish forces during Operation Claw-Lock in northern Iraq between 2021 and 2022, Anadolu added.

Yesterday, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense revealed in a post on X that it neutralized 10 PKK/YPG militants in northern Syria and 1 PKK member detected in the KRI.

Notably, Turkiye uses the term neutralize to indicate that a PKK member has been killed, injured, or captured.

The conflict between Turkiye and the PKK began in the 1980s when the PKK, led by Abdullah Ocalan, sought an independent Kurdish state. The decades-long struggle has involved guerrilla warfare, large-scale Turkish military operations, and failed peace efforts, including a collapsed ceasefire in 2015.

Since summer 2024, Turkiye has intensified operations, targeting PKK positions in the Matin Mountain range with warplanes and drones, while PKK fighters remain entrenched in mountain shelters. Designated a terrorist group by Turkiye, the US, and the EU, the PKK's fight for Kurdish autonomy has caused tens of thousands of deaths, with Turkiye conducting cross-border strikes against PKK and YPG positions.