By Rauf Maltas
SANLIURFA, Turkey (AA) - A Turkish court on Thursday gave eight YPG/PKK terrorists aggravated life sentences.
The Sanliurfa Heavy Criminal Court No. 6 sentenced Ibrahim Halaf, Mahmud Eddahir, Fendi Ahmed, Ali Sellum, Ahmet Utman, Ahmed Hamdullah, Ala Umedi and Mahmud Hamed, all terrorists who were nabbed during Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring in Syria.
During the hearing, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges of belonging to the terror group.
The prosecutor presented evidence of their affiliation with the YPG/PKK, saying they had been fighting for the terror group for a long time.
Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terrorist operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable peaceful settlement by locals: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.
* Writing by Burak Dag from Ankara