Istanbul probe reveals PKK links to municipal officials

ISTANBUL

Authorities have uncovered that the daughter of a senior municipal official held as part of a recent terror probe is an active member of the PKK terrorist organization, while revealing further ties between other officials and terror suspects.

On Feb. 11, the prosecutor’s office claimed that under the guise of the "urban consensus" formulated during the 2024 local elections, Istanbul’s nine district municipalities facilitated the appointment of individuals with terrorist affiliations into several positions.

The "urban consensus" was publicly framed as a strategic electoral alliance between the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy (DEM Party) in certain constituencies for the March 31 elections last year.

Subsequently, 10 senior officials were detained, with their judicial process ongoing on Feb. 13.

An examination of digital materials seized during a police raid at Sancaktepe Municipality council member Elif Gül’s residence revealed that her daughter, Dilan Gül, had joined PKK.

Further analysis uncovered "commemorative" photographs documenting visits by Elif Gül and her husband, Fethi Ahmet Gül, to their daughter in PKK-controlled rural strongholds.

The official’s daughter remains a fugitive and actively sought for charges of terrorist organization membership.

Investigators also established that Elif Gül’s cousin, İshak Özçaktu, had orchestrated terrorist attacks in Istanbul, the capital Ankara and the central province of Kayseri on behalf of PKK before being eliminated in a cross-border operation in 2019.

Additionally, her aunt’s daughter was found to be operating within the PKK’s Syrian network.

Further scrutiny of call records revealed that Kartal Deputy Mayor Cemalettin Yüksel had been in contact with 313 individuals, while Ataşehir Deputy Mayor Livan Gür had maintained communications with 52.

Among these contacts, eight were fugitives wanted for PKK membership, while another eight were incarcerated on similar charges.