Celal Başkale

Mahir Koç more commonly known under his nickname Celal Başkale was a Kurdish 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]

Mahir Koç
Nickname(s)Celal Başkale
DiedApril 14, 2012
Turkey Amasya, Turkey
Allegiance Kurdistan Workers' Party
RankBlack Sea Region commander
Battles/warsKurdish–Turkish conflict, Reşadiye shooting

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. 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
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