UPDATE - Turkish jets kill, injure top PKK terrorists in N.Iraq

ADDS PROFILES OF TERRORISTS

By Aynur Ekiz

ANKARA (AA) - In a joint operation, Turkish army and intelligence units last week hit several senior targets at the terrorist PKK’s base on Mt. Qandil, northern Iraq, security sources said on Wednesday.

The operation last Thursday was ordered in light of intelligence that Riza Altun, top aide to PKK leader Cemil Bayik, and other senior terrorists were set to hold a meeting on Qandil, near the Iranian border, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Using precise coordinates supplied by Turkish intelligence, the strikes by Turkish jets seriously injured Altun.

The operation also neutralized several top terrorist PKK targets, including its so-called foreign relations officer "Navdar," codenamed Mikail Ozdemir, so-called spokesman "Serhat Varto," codenamed Emrullah Dursun, and the so-called Qandil regional manager "Sinan Sor," code-named Ali Aktas.

- Riza Altun

Riza Altun, closest aide to founding PKK member Cemil Bayik, has worked as the so-called Iran officer and European area officer of the terrorist group.

Altun is also a member of the PKK’s so-called executive council and is in charge of its so-called political and foreign relations committees.

Altun, who is in contact with international actors in the region, is in the top, red category of the Turkish Interior Ministry's wanted terrorist list, and is also on Interpol’s wanted list and the U.S. drug trafficker list.

- Mikail Ozdemir

Ozdemir joined the PKK terrorist group in 1990s and first served in its rural units. He then moved to Qandil and served in its so-called intelligence units.

He was in charge of financial affairs under one PKK leader, Murat Karayilan, and was highly trusted by another, Cemil Bayik.

He also served on the terror group’s so-called foreign relations committee, coordinating its external contacts.

- Emrullah Dursun

Dursun joined the terrorist PKK in the 1990s.

He served on both its so-called executive council and foreign relations committee.

- Ali Aktas

Aktas joined the PKK in 1978 and was a senior member since 2009.

Under the codename “Sinan Sor,” Aktas was active for many years in Russia and Armenia and transferred money from Europe and Russia to Qandil.

In 2017, he retired to the headquarters at Qandil and became so-called district officer.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including many women and children.

* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic