Iran has handed over to Turkey seven members of KADEK, a Turkish-based separatist Kurd organization, who had been in Iranian custody since March, the ISNA news agency reported. The seven militants from the Turkish Congress for Democracy and Freedom in Kurdistan (KADEK), the former PKK, have all been handed over to Turkish officials, a chief border guard, Colonel Vali Salehi, was quoted as saying by ISNA. "Iran does not allow these individuals to penetrate its territory," he said, adding that, "to intensify the fight against the PKK," three new posts have been set up along the country’s border with Turkey. Salehi criticised Ankara for not doing enough to fight against Iranian opposition groups operating in Turkey. In mid-November, KADEK said it was no longer fighting for self-rule in Turkey and said it was disbanding in order to set up a more democratic Kurdish organization. As the PKK, KADEK waged a 15-year separatist war on Ankara until 1999.
This may well be a preemptive PR attempt by the ayatollahs, especially given that they’re listed as being the main backer behind the Raiders (as well as al-Qaeda, if the number of top brass hanging out with the IRGC these days is anything judge by) and the Turks are likely to want revenge for recent events in Istanbul. By tossing Ankara some KADEK, the ayatollahs may hope that they can sweet-talking Erdogan and Co away from any swift action until the Middle East short attention span kicks in a couple of months from now. |