NEWS CENTER - It was stated that the camp where PKK held MİT members, soldiers and police hostages were hit during the airbound military operation of Turkey against Garé District.

 

The military operation launched by Turkey against the Garé District of Iraqi Federated Kurdistan District continues. According to the statement made by the National Defense Ministry (MSB),  Infantry Commando Captain Burak Coşkun, Petty Officer Senior Sergeant Harun Turhan, Captain Ertuğ Güler and 4 soldiers lost their lives.  

 

Taking to the streets on the first day of the operation in Sulemani, the people protested Turkey. Many other demonstrations were staged in a number of European cities last night as well.

 

Despite the information former Special Operations officer shared about KDP forces being disguised as the Peshmerga and participated in the operation, neither the government of the District nor the Iraqi Central Government made any official statements regarding the operation of Turkey.

 

IRAQ: WE WERE NOT INFORMED

 

While the District and the Central Governments remain silent, Brigadier General Diler Ferzende Zebari, one of the commanders of the Iraqi Border Guard, said in a statement to Rudaw that they were not informed about the operation. Zebari argued that although the 3 military officers lost his life, the operation was carried out from the air, the warplanes belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces bombed the Garé Mountain region intensely, and that there was no land operation. According to different news outlets, Turkey has lost more soldiers.

 

THE CAMP PRISONERS HELD WAS HIT

 

According to the article published in the ANF, HPG made a written statement and told that the camp where they held the prisoners were hit in the airbound bombardment. 

 

With the end of the solution process some soldiers and police officers and MİT members were held hostages by the PKK.

 

2 MİT OFFICERS AND 9 POLICE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS

 

Erhan Pekçetin, MIT's Head of Foreign Ethnic Separatist Activities, and MIT Human Resources Manager Aydın Günel were detained in the town of Dokan, Süleymaniye, on August 4, 2017. Apart from the two MIT members, there were 9 soldiers and police officers named Sedat Sorgun, Ümit Gıcır, Semih Özbey, Adil Kabaklı, Müslüm Altıntaş, Mevlut Kahveci, Sedat Yabalak, Süleyman Sungur and Hüseyin Sarı in the camp.

 

One of the HPG Commander Mahir Deniz, spoke to ANF on September 17, 2019 and told that Turkey never attempted to negotiate with them in terms of taking back the captive police, soldier and MİT members and have been trying to kill them with air attacks. HPG Commander also said: "If anything happens to these prisoners, AKP- MHP regime is responsible for their deaths. Their families should ask Erdoğan not to kill them. We are face to face with a regime that try to kill their own. The families of these police officers and soldiers should know this fact and don't be fooled by these dirty games."