PKK’s ‘arsenal’ captured at Istanbul Airport

ISTANBUL

Arriving at Istanbul Airport with a fake ID from Iran, PKK terrorist Serhat Özel, known as the “arsenal” of the organization, has been captured at the passport control point.

Code-named Kendal Numan Amed, Özel arrived at Istanbul Airport on a plane departing from Iran’s Tehran on Oct. 14.

Özel, who had a fake ID issued in the name of Y.G., was detained by the anti-terror unit for questioning.

He was sent from Iran to Kazakhstan with a fake ID and passport, and came to Istanbul after returning to Iran, according to police.

He was operating activities in the “ammo unit” that controls mortars, howitzers, rockets, heavy machine guns, grenades, A4 and C4 explosives and detonators.

Özel, who was the local leader of the Pencevin region on the Iraq-Iran border under the “eastern customs front” of the organization, joined the PKK in 2015 while residing in Germany.

He was assigned to the PYD/YPG, the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, by Duran Kalkan, one of the PKK ringleaders.

Meanwhile, a total of three PKK terrorists were neutralized in two different zones in northern Iraq, the Defense Ministry announced.

“Neutralized” is a term used by the Turkish military and officials to indicate terrorists were either killed, wounded, or captured. The ministry ranks those included on the list in five color-coded categories from red (most wanted) to blue, green, orange and grey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and the European Union, has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.