Celal Başkale

Mahir Koç
Nickname(s) Celal Başkale
Died April 14, 2012
Turkey Amasya, Turkey
Allegiance Kurdistan Workers' Party
Rank Black Sea Region commander
Battles/wars Kurdish–Turkish conflict, Reşadiye shooting

Mahir Koç more commonly known under his nickname Celal Başkale was a commander of the Kurdistan Workers' Party,[1] a militant organization that has been fighting the government of Turkey for autonomy for Kurdish people, since 1984.[2] It is recognized as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States[3] and the European Union.[4]

Başkale started out as a bodyguard for Fehman Hûseyn (Bahoz Erdal),[1] who is the head of the Hezen Parastina Gel (HPG), the PKK's armed wing[5] and later rose to become the commander of all PKK operations in the Black Sea Region.[1]

On December 7, 2009, he led seven PKK guerrillas in an ambush against 15 Turkish commandos known as the Reşadiye shooting or Tokat assault.[6] Seven of the commandos were killed and three were injured.[7]

On April 11, 2012, two Turkish soldiers were killed in a PKK ambush near Çiğdemlik. In response the Turkish military started a large-scale operation against the PKK throughout Amasya Province. Celal Başkale was killed by Turkish forces along with another PKK militant on April 14.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 PKK's Black Sea commander killed in operation
  2. ↑ BBC Kurdish MP in Turkey abducted 'by PKK', August 12, 2012
  3. ↑ Foreign Terrorist Organizations
  4. ↑ European Union List of Terrorist Organisations, Council of the european union, updated Council Decision 2011/70/CFSP of 31 January 2011
  5. ↑ Jamestown Leading PKK Commander Cemil Bayik Crosses into Iran
  6. ↑ Hürriyet PKK claims responsibility for Tokat assault, December 10, 2009
  7. ↑ Hürriyet Between hearts and minds, December 8, 2009

External links

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