ANKARA
An atmosphere of panic prevails in the ranks of PKK terror group due to Turkey’s successful anti-terror operations. A large number of terrorists have started escaping the group thanks to Turkish security forces’ persuasion efforts, while the terrorist recruitment has almost come to a halt.
The situation is reflected in the remarks of the so-called ringleaders of the terror group which were broadcast via their own media outlets.
Murat Karayilan and Duran Kalkan confessed the damage caused by the activities of the Turkish intelligence, armed drones and reconnaissance aircraft.
In an interview with a website, Karayilan spoke about the panic within the ranks of the group caused by the Turkish anti-terror operations at home and abroad.
“There are operations everywhere, at the moment. Around 10 reconnaissance aircraft constantly fly over Haftanin [in northern Iraq],” he said, adding that Turkey is using “such an intense technique like that.”
He also admitted that they are exposed to a “strong psychological war” due to the announcements made by Turkey that the number of terrorists surrendered to security forces in 2020 reached 223.
He also recalled that Cemil Amed, one of so-called senior group members who was among the decision makers within the group in Syria, was neutralized in an operation by the Turkish intelligence.
In northern Iraq, Turkey launched operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle in June to ensure the safety of the Turkish people and borders by neutralizing the threat of the PKK and other terrorist groups, which often use northern Iraq to plan cross-border attacks.
In July, the country also launched the first of a series of Yildirim operations in the southeastern province of Sirnak and its associated operations are meant to neutralize terrorists believed to be hiding out in eastern and southeastern Turkey.
Since 2016, it has also launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations in northern Syria, across its border, to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and to enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).
- ‘They strike us everywhere to destroy us’
Kalkan, codenamed Abbas -- who is among the most wanted terrorists in Turkey, also revealed the terror group’s desperate situation and told a website: “They follow us everywhere and hit us to destroy.”
Meanwhile, one of the terrorists, identified by the initials C.K. who surrendered to the Turkish security forces this year, said it was forbidden for them to watch Turkish TV channels after mothers in southeastern Diyarbakir province launched a sit-in last year, calling for the return of their children forcibly recruited by the PKK terror group.
“I know that the protest staged by the mothers led to the escape of many group members from the group,” he said.
Organizational documents seized after a so-called senior member, Ismail Surgec, was neutralized earlier this year, also revealed the current situation of the terror group.
In the documents, it was written that the group was not able to stage any terrorist activity since 2017 operations carried out by the security forces.
It said their communication with the people in the region was disrupted, while the intelligence and efficient aircraft increased inflicting losses to the terror group. Recruitment has also come to a halt in the last three years, according to the documents.
It also said that terrorist reinforcements sent from Iraq and Syria were being neutralized as soon as they enter Turkey.
- 50-year-low participation
In the last four years, the number of terrorists within the group decreased by 89% to reach below 320, thanks to the persuasion efforts carried out by the gendarmerie and police forces in coordination with the Interior Ministry and the counter-terrorism operations.
A total of 367 senior members in the Interior Ministry’s wanted list have been neutralized. Thirty of them were in the red category, 15 in blue, 24 in green, 57 in orange, while 241 were in the gray category.
Turkey’s wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange, and gray.
While the number of recruitment was 161 in 2017, it decreased to 136 in 2018, 130 in 2019 and 52 this year.
In the last four years, a total of 7,901 group members have been neutralized, while 14,545 were remanded in custody, dealing a heavy blow to the terror group’s activities in cities.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
*Contributions and writing by Sena Guler
