Turkish warplanes flew over the Sharbazher area in Sulaymaniyah province on Friday evening, dropping leaflets over Mount Asos and surrounding villages, calling on Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants to surrender
According to local sources and a copy of the leaflet obtained by BasNews, the leaflets—written in the Kurmanji dialect—were dropped over the villages of Galala, Basawe, Safra, and Zaroon in the Mawat district.
The messages reportedly cite imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and include testimonies from former militants who claim to have surrendered.
One section of the leaflet reads: “Abdullah Ocalan called for the dissolution of the organization and the laying down of arms. Heed his call.”
Another part features a message from a former fighter, stating: “I am Delal. I gave up on you. I surrendered myself. The state protected me. All the televisions are saying that Abdullah Ocalan is telling the PKK it needs to dissolve itself. I understood it here. Come out of the caves, we are waiting for you.”
- Other alleged testimonies included in the leaflet similarly urge current fighters to abandon the armed struggle and surrender to Turkish authorities
Turkey regularly conducts air and drone operations in these border areas, targeting what it says are PKK positions.
The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU, has been engaged in an armed conflict with the Turkish state for decades, seeking greater autonomy and rights for Kurds in Turkey.
Sulaymaniyah province, especially areas near the border with Iran and Turkey, frequently witnesses heightened military activity due to the proximity of PKK bases.
Local civilians have often been caught in the crossfire, leading to periodic displacement and calls from the Kurdistan Regional Government for both parties to avoid dragging the Region into conflict.
https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/881209
