PKK Lists 100 Dead Fighters as Funerals Held Across Turkey
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has published the names of about 100 of its fighters killed in recent years, with public ceremonies held for them in major cities, especially in the southeast of Turkey. The announcements began on August 21, during a sensitive period as the PKK is currently in negotiations with the Turkish state [230713].
The funerals have taken place in public spaces, drawing crowds in several urban centers. The exact dates and locations of the deaths were not specified in the party’s statements. The move comes at a delicate time in the peace process, as both sides discuss terms. The PKK, which has fought for Kurdish autonomy for decades, is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies [230713].
In a related development, Murat Karayılan, a member of the People's Defense Center Command, said on Tuesday that the group has lost 25,922 members over the past 50 years. He added that the full toll of the last ten years of fighting remains unexplained, stating that authorities have been unable to fully account for deaths caused by a decade of ongoing conflict [229449].
Meanwhile, the pro-Kurdish DEM Party has urged the Turkish parliament to invite two senior Syrian Kurdish figures to the country, as part of a push to broaden the current political process. Ayşegül Doğan, the party’s spokesperson, made the call on Wednesday, saying Mazlum Abdi and İlham Ahmed – both leaders of the Syrian Kurdish administration – should be formally invited to Turkey. Abdi is the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed militia that Turkey regards as linked to the PKK. Doğan argued that a lasting solution requires more than government and political parties, and that civil society groups should be included [229447].
The Syrian government has separately appointed Mazlum Abdi as a presidential adviser, marking the latest step in the ongoing integration process between the Damascus government and the SDF [229458]. Additionally, the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) have confirmed that talks with Syria’s Interior Minister, Anas Khattab, included a proposal to integrate the group into the ministry as a “special and organized force.” The YPJ is an all-female militia that has played a key role in northern Syria’s defense and in the fight against the Islamic State group [229476].
PKK lists 100 dead fighters as funerals held across Turkey PKK commander: 25,922 fighters killed in 50 years DEM Party calls for PKK-linked leaders to be invited to Turkey Syria appoints Kurdish commander as presidential adviser