Monday, June 25, 2007
PUK accused of attempting to kidnap PKK leaders for Turkey
Politics, Security
(KurdishMedia) - The Pro-PKK media and Kurdish independent sources have accused the PUK, led by Jalal Talabani the current Iraqi president, of attempting to kidnap two PKK leaders and handing them over to the Turkish authorities.
The sources state that the PUK authorities, which is part of the KRG, has organised a meeting for two of the PKK leaders, PKK co-president Murad Karialan and Cemil Bayik, with the Turkish officials under pretext of negotiating between two sides. However the PUK, the sources claim, has also arranged for the Turkish intelligence services MIT to attack the meeting and kidnap the PKK leaders.
At the same time, MIT with the help of the PUK brought a helicopter to southern Kurdistan in pieces in order to be put together and to be used in kidnapping the PKK leaders, as Turkey cannot fly over southern Kurdistan’s territory.
Neither the KRG, led by Massuad Barzani, nor the PUK have commented on the allegation. Recently the president of KRG Massuad Barzani stated that even if he orders, the peshmerga forces would not open fire of the PKK rebels. KurdishMedia.com could not verify the story from its own independent sources.
The sources state that the PUK authorities, which is part of the KRG, has organised a meeting for two of the PKK leaders, PKK co-president Murad Karialan and Cemil Bayik, with the Turkish officials under pretext of negotiating between two sides. However the PUK, the sources claim, has also arranged for the Turkish intelligence services MIT to attack the meeting and kidnap the PKK leaders.
At the same time, MIT with the help of the PUK brought a helicopter to southern Kurdistan in pieces in order to be put together and to be used in kidnapping the PKK leaders, as Turkey cannot fly over southern Kurdistan’s territory.
Neither the KRG, led by Massuad Barzani, nor the PUK have commented on the allegation. Recently the president of KRG Massuad Barzani stated that even if he orders, the peshmerga forces would not open fire of the PKK rebels. KurdishMedia.com could not verify the story from its own independent sources.
Labels: Cemil Bayik, MIT, Murad Karialan, PKK, PUK, Turkey
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
PKK leader says Turkey would face a "military disaster" if troops were sent into Iraq
Security, Kurdistan
(The Guardian) - In an interview with "The Guardian" published on June 18, Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) commander Cemil Bayik warned that Turkey would face a "military disaster" if it sent troops into northern Iraq. Bayik said the PKK is not seeking a confrontation, but insisted that it will defend itself if attacked. "We are not a terrorist movement. We condemn attacks on civilians. We are freedom fighters," Bayik said. "We are open to dialogue and we welcome it."
Tensions between Turkey and Iraq's Kurdish leadership have been rising steadily over the past several months as thousands of Turkish troops have amassed along Turkey's border with northern Iraq. On June 14, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul accused Iraq of not doing enough to move against the estimated 3,500-3,800 PKK fighters in northern Iraq. Since 2004, Ankara has repeatedly threatened unilateral military action against PKK rebels in northern Iraq. On June 6, reports surfaced that the Turkish military had carried out "limited operations" against PKK elements in Iraq.
Labels: Cemil Bayik, PKK, Turkey
