A high-ranking PKK member, known for his leading role in massive terrorist attacks in Turkey, has been appointed by the United States as the so-called head of the People's Protection Units' (YPG) operations against Daesh in Syria.
Azad Simi, whose code name is Çiya Kobani, has been identified as the main figure responsible for many PKK terrorist attacks in Turkey, including the Dağlıca and Aktütün terrorist attacks, causing the deaths of more than 100 people.
Due to his terrorist activities, he is on the Turkish Interior Ministry's most wanted list. However, despite his crimes, Simi has managed to become the second most senior terrorist within the YPG, by becoming the head of the hybrid operations of the terrorist organizations against another terrorist organization, Daesh, in Deir-ez Zor province of Syria.
According to the Vatan daily, Simi was seen with U.S. commanders on more than one occasion, proving the support he receives from the country. He was first seen while shaking hands with Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of the U.S. Central Command which coordinates anti-Daesh operations in Iraq and Syria, in April. In July, on the other hand, Simi was seen with U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk and Maj. Gen. James Jarrard during an investigative tour with a helicopter typed Blackhawk UH-60.
Simi joined the PKK in 1992 in Syria and lived in northern Iraq for a long time. Security forces determined that he was the PKK's southeastern Hakkari province head between 2007 and 2011. Then, he moved to Syria. Until now, he was known as the Special Forces head of the YPG.
Simi is the name behind the 2007 Dağlıca police station attack which killed 12 soldiers, the 2008 Aktütün police station attacks that killed 17 security forces and the 2011 Çukurça attack that killed 25 people. He is also wanted by the office of the chief prosecutors of eastern Van province and southeastern Şırnak and Hakkari provinces for 12 other terrorist attacks on the border police stations that killed 104 soldiers.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry announced yesterday that the PKK's so-called Gabar head of the public relations, Emrah Nayci, has been captured alive in Şırnak.
Turkey considers the YPG a grave threat to its national security since it is a part of the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the EU and NATO.