Military, intel operatives eliminate senior PKK terrorist in northern Iraq

The Turkish military and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) eliminated a senior PKK terrorist responsible for the organization's activities in northern Iraq’s Kirkuk in a joint operation carried out in Sinjar province, Anadolu Agency reported after speaking to security sources yesterday.

Yahya Duman, codenamed Sabri Tori, had been sought by Interpol’s red notice, reportedly joined the terrorist organization in 1993 and led an attack on a police station in the southeastern province of Mardin in 2016.

The terrorist was responsible for the ideological and military training of PKK terrorists in Iraq, and also was responsible for the terrorist organization's activities in northern Iraq’s Makhmur and Kirkuk provinces.

Northern Iraq provides a base for the YPG/PKK terrorist group and is used by its members to plan cross-border terrorist attacks against Turkey. The Turkish military often carries out cross-border operations in the area in order to destroy PKK hideouts and bases.

Turkish counterterrorism operations have intensified since July 2018 and have become routine since the beginning of another extensive campaign, Operation Claw, was launched on May 27 in an attempt to entirely eliminate the presence of the terrorist organization in northern Iraq.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children.