Turkish Intelligence neutralizes senior PKK figure in Iraq operation

Shafaq News/ Turkish intelligence forces successfully neutralized Cahit Aktay, also known as Huseyin Piran, the mastermind behind the group's logistical operations.

According to Anadolu Agency, Aktay, responsible for orchestrating a deadly 2016 attack in Turkiye's southeastern Sirnak province that claimed the lives of three soldiers and two village guards, was found to be actively planning attacks on security forces while smuggling weapons and ammunition.

The operation, conducted with precision by the Turkish Intelligence Organization (MIT) as part of Operation Claw-Lock, targeted PKK's hideouts in northern Iraq's Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions near the Turkish border.

Aktay, who had been with the PKK since 2008, rose through the ranks and became the logistical ringleader for the organization. His neutralization marks a significant victory for Türkiye's ongoing efforts against PKK terrorism, which has claimed over 40,000 lives in more than three decades of conflict.