A total of 98 terrorists from the PKK and its affiliates were killed in June by Turkish security forces in domestic and cross-border operations.
Counterterrorism operations were conducted throughout the month by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) as well as the Turkish National Police (EGM), the gendarmerie and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), according to information compiled by Anadolu Agency (AA).
Inflicting a heavy blow to the PKK terrorist group with back-to-back successful operations, security forces also detained 104 PKK terrorist suspects – 30 were later arrested.
Additionally, the number of PKK terrorist group members who surrendered to security forces through persuasion efforts in 2021 rose to 94 as of June 30.
Security forces dealt a heavy blow to the YPG/PKK terrorist group by killing senior terrorists.
In a successful operation by MIT on June 5 in the Makhmour camp under PKK control in northern Iraq, senior PKK operative Selman Bozkır, code-named Doctor Hüseyin, who was acting as general manager of the camp, was eliminated.
The TSK regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq, a region where PKK terrorists have hideouts and bases from where they carry out attacks in Turkey.
As part of Operation Eren-1, three PKK terrorists were killed on June 5 in a rural area in the Başkale district of Van province.
Operation Eren, named after Eren Bübül, a 15-year-old killed by PKK terrorists on Aug. 11, 2017, began in January with the aim of completely eliminating terrorism in the country.
Among the terrorists was Gökhan Demir, code-named Agit, who was on the gray category of the Interior Ministry's wanted list and was the head of the terrorist group in Başkale.
The wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red as the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and gray.
Demir was among the perpetrators of the terrorist attack carried out in the Özalp district of Van in May 2020. A municipal employee and a civilian were killed while another municipal employee was injured in the armed attack targeting a vehicle belonging to the Vefa Social Support Group.
Wanted PKK terrorist, Hasan Adır, alias Salih Cizre, was killed in June in an operation led by MIT.
Following a period of surveillance, MIT conducted a surgical strike near the Makhmour camp – which serves as a recruitment and training area for the PKK – to kill the terrorist, who was sought by Interpol on a Red Notice, and responsible for activities in Makhmour.
Samet Içyer, code-named Zerdast-Navdar, was another senior terrorist killed in June.
Eliminated in Turkey's eastern Bitlis province as part of the Eren-11 counterterrorism operation, Içyer was in the orange category of the Interior Ministry's wanted list.
Turkish security forces regularly conduct counterterrorism operations in Turkey's eastern and southeastern provinces where the PKK has attempted to establish a strong presence and bases.
Senior terrorist Islam Biliz, code-named Siyar Erzurum, was nabbed in an operation carried out by MIT and gendarmerie forces.
The terrorist was on the gray category of the Interior Ministry's wanted list and was captured in an operation on the Turkey-Iran border near Armenia.
Ulaş Doğan, a PKK terrorist sought by Interpol with Red Notice and by Turkey, was killed in an operation in Iraq's northern province of Sulaymaniyah.
MIT had prior information about Doğan, alias Ulaş Dersim, who was planning a terror attack against Turkey in northern Iraq.
Doğan was eliminated by the MIT in Qalat Dizah of Sulaymaniyah shortly after arriving in the region.
In its more than 40-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 at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
