Iraq News Now

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Turkish Intelligence Agency (MIT) announced the elimination of two prominent figures in the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Al-Sulaymaniyah, located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

According to Turkish intelligence, the operation, conducted in Al-Sulaymaniyah, targeted Kayiz Silber and Emin Ulas, both of whom were responsible for extorting residents to support PKK activities.

The agency clarified that Kayiz Silber and Emin Ulas are high-ranking members of the PKK and played key roles in illegally collecting revenue from civilians in the region.

MIT claims that these extortion practices have long been employed by the PKK to finance their operations, particularly in rural areas where the group maintains its influence.

The conflict between Turkiye and the PKK dates back to the early 1980s when the PKK started advocating for an independent Kurdish state within Turkiye.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the conflict intensified, with the PKK engaging in guerrilla warfare and the Turkish military conducting large-scale operations against PKK bases.

On August 15, after two days of high-level security talks in Ankara, Turkiye and Iraq signed an agreement focusing on military, security, and counter-terrorism cooperation, explicitly targeting the PKK. This agreement includes establishing joint coordination and training centers in Baghdad and Bashiqa.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking alongside his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein after talks in Ankara, described the defense agreement as having "historical importance." Hussein noted that the accord was "the first in the history of Iraq and Turkiye" in this field.

Notably, after signing the agreement, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler told Reuters that the recent counter-terrorism measures taken by Turkiye and Iraq marked a turning point in their relations. He added that Ankara wanted Baghdad to take an additional step and officially designate the PKK as a terrorist organization as soon as possible.