Terrorists reveal PKK-PYD link: Turkish security source

By Mehmet Akif Parlak

SANLIURFA

Two captured terrorists of the armed wing People's Protection Units (YPG) of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) have outlined the links and the extent of the cooperation between the Syrian groups and the PKK.

A source within the intelligence department of the gendarmerie forces deployed in the southeastern Sanliurfa province told Anadolu Agency that the suspects -- Mesut C. (29) and Abdurrahman P. (23) -- were arrested by local security forces while trying to cross from the Syrian border town of Kobani to the district of Mursitpinar in Sanliurfa.

The source failed to specify when they were apprehended.

Ankara considers the PYD, YPG and the PKK to be terrorist outfits, and has frequently pointed to the link between these groups active in Turkey and Syria. The PYD is known as the PKK's Syrian affiliate.

The source said Mesut C., who allegedly joined the PKK in 2005, was sent from the Qandil mountains -- location of the PKK stronghold in Iraq -- to Kobani in 2014 to join in clashes against Daesh.

Kobani witnessed heavy fighting between Daesh and the PYD in late 2014 and early 2015.

Still according to the intelligence department source, he said that he later traveled to Turkey to operate a sniper in the Sur district of the southeastern Diyarbakir province to support PKK forces.

Code-named Diren (Resist) Mesut C. reportedly said that the PKK had recently sent snipers to Turkey.

Meanwhile, code-named Tirej, Abdurrahman P. allegedly asserted that troops used drugs to give themselves courage during clashes.

He also reportedly said that the PKK had suffered heavy losses in Sur, Cizre and Silopi districts in southeastern and had requested snipers from PYD-YPG forces.

Security forces said they had seized an M-16 infantry rifle, two Kalashnikov rifles, eight grenades, drugs, two YPG uniforms, a detailed map of the Sur district and organizational documents on the terrorists.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign last July. Since then, more than 280 members of the security forces have been martyred and thousands of PKK terrorists killed, according to officials.