Turkey says it neutralized YPG agent linked to Istiklal Street attack

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
4 Oct 2023 22:59

The Turkish intelligence says they have neutralized an intelligence official in the US-backed Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG).

Relatives and friends of Arzu Ozsoy and her 15-year-old daughter Yagmur Ucar, who died in Sunday's explosion that occurred on Istiklal avenue, attend their funeral in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 14, 2022. (AP)

Turkish intelligence announced, according to various reports, the neutralization of the intelligence official in the US-backed Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG), Nabu Kele Hayri, in an operation in northern Syria.

Turkish intelligence said that Hayri had "personally trained Ahlam Albashir Saleh, the female terrorist who left the bomb on Istiklal Street, in Syria and helped her infiltrate Turkey before the attack." The attack occurred in November of last year and resulted in the deaths of six people.

Earlier today, two explosions were heard in the neighborhood of Gweiran in al-Hasakah in the far north-east corner of Syria, coinciding with the sound of gunfire and ambulance sirens.

Kurdish media affiliated with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported that "a car exploded in the southern part of al-Hasakah, without knowing the reasons."

Sources to Al Mayadeen revealed that "the explosion was caused by a Turkish drone targeting a military vehicle belonging to the SDF at the entrance to the Gweiran neighborhood from the north."

The sources pointed out that "the Turkish targeting is the first of its kind in the center of al-Hasakah, after targeting several headquarters of the general command of the SDF by military aircraft during the Peace Spring operation that targeted the cities of Ras al-Ain and Tell Abyad in 2019."

Turkey launches anti-PKK operation in 18 provinces: Reports

The Turkish armed forces initiated an operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a banned organization in Turkey, across 18 provinces, leading to the detention of 90 individuals, as per Yeni Safak newspaper's report on Tuesday.

The operation's objective is to identify and eliminate the covert elements of the PKK, primarily focusing on the group's dormant cells dispersed across 18 provinces. Sanliurfa is one of the provinces included in this operation, as reported by the Turkish daily.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that an explosion near a ministry building in Ankara was perpetrated by "two terrorists", resulting in the injury of two police officers. One of the assailants was identified as a member of the PKK.

Subsequently, on the same day, the Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed that the nation's military carried out airstrikes targeting the PKK in northern Iraq, successfully eliminating 20 designated objectives.