Turkish intelligence takes down Iranian PKK leader in Iraq op

Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has successfully neutralized an Iranian PKK/KSK leader in northern Iraq.

The operation carried out in Sulaymaniyah, targeted Saliha Akbiyk, code-named “Nujiyan Amed,” who had been active in the PKK since 1993 and was primarily responsible for overseeing terrorist activities along the Iran-Iraq border, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

Akbiyk, a key figure in the PKK/KSK Central Committee and the central headquarters of YJA Star, was originally from Diyarbakir.

She joined the PKK’s rural cell in Mersin in 1993 and received training in the organization's camps in Greece.

During her time in Syria, Akbiyk played a significant role in recruiting young individuals into the PKK. After moving to Iraq, she participated in armed operations in the regions of Qandil, Zapa, Metin, and Mahmur.

In Turkish security terminology, “neutralize” refers to individuals who are either killed, captured, or have surrendered.

The PKK designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU, has established strongholds in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), where Türkiye has maintained a military presence for 25 years. The PKK began its insurgency against Ankara in 1984 with the aim of creating an independent Kurdish state, though its goals have since shifted towards seeking autonomy in southeastern Türkiye. The ongoing conflict has claimed over 40,000 lives and has increasingly extended into the mountainous regions of northern Iraq.

Turkey has conducted cross-border military operations for years, exerting significant control over large areas in Syria and Iraq near its borders. Last month, Ankara and Baghdad announced a new military cooperation agreement, which includes the establishment of joint training and command centres. Additionally, Iraq has declared its decision to ban the PKK as a political party.