PKK terrorist campaign began 38 years ago

By Fecri Barlik and Mehmet Niyazi Deniz

SIIRT, Türkiye (AA) – 38 years ago on this day, the PKK terrorist organization carried out its first attacks in Türkiye’s southeastern provinces of Siirt and Hakkari.

The attacks on Aug. 15, 1984 were carried out by PKK under its now-imprisoned head terrorist Abdullah Ocalan, who has been staying in a prison on Imrali Island in Marmara Sea off Bursa province since his capture in 1999.

A Turkish soldier, Suleyman Aydin, had been killed and nine soldiers and three civilians injured in those first PKK terror attacks.

Ismail Sehitoglu, head of the Anatolian Security Guards and Martyr-Veteran Families Federation, an association representing families affected by PKK terrorism, told Anadolu Agency that the terrorist organization inflicted the greatest harm on Kurdish people.

Praising Turkish forces for fighting terrorism relentlessly, Sehitoglu said the nation has suffered from terrorism since 1984.

“Our state has gone all-out in fighting the PKK terrorist organization. Terrorism is on the verge of being rooted out,” he said.

- 'PKK will never reach its goal'

Diya Yarayan, who works as a journalist in Siirt province, expressed his discomfort at the fact that Siirt has been associated with terrorist attacks.

Underlining that the terrorist organization will never achieve its goal, the 56-year-old said: "Siirt suffered a lot from terrorism, but today we live in peace and prosperity, thankfully. Siirt suffered but never gave up. We always feel the warmth of our great state. The terrorist organization will not reach its goal even after 400 years."

Meanwhile, Yusuf Yildirim, a resident of Eruh district, once a hotbed of terrorism, said that they do not want their hometown to be associated with terrorism.

“We want this terror to end as soon as possible," he added.

In its more-than-35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, UK and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan