ANKARA
The PKK terrorist group is continuing to target Turkish politicians in its efforts to undermine peace and security in Turkey.
On Saturday, a campaign bus belonging to the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party came under attack by PKK terrorists in eastern Van province’s Muradiye district.
The motorcade of district head Ibrahim Vanli was hit in the attack. Vanli’s relative Adnan, who was following the motorcade, was killed in the attack.
Before Sunday's referendum in Turkey, media outlets aligned with the PKK, had identified political parties and politicians as targets.
More than 1,200 victims, including security personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign against the state in July 2015.
Timeline of other PKK attacks:
- June 29, 2010: Ahmet Ucar, AK Party district chairman in Hakkari’s Yuksekova district, targeted in a hand grenade attack on his home. No injuries reported.
- July 2, 2012: Three armed PKK terrorists kidnap Hayrullah Tanis, AK Party district chairman of Van’s Gurpinar district. Tanis was released on Aug. 24, 2012.
- Sept. 3, 2012: Former AK Party provincial chairman of Hakkari and lawyer Mecit Tarhan, kidnapped. He was released on Oct. 5, 2012, in Iraq.
- March 16, 2014: Zeki Karakus, AK Party municipal election candidate in Van, and four other party members assaulted while campaigning.
- April 17, 2014: PKK members kidnap former local municipal AK Party head, Abit Dogruer along with three others in Diyarbakir’s Dicle district. They were released on April 20, 2014.
- May 17, 2014: PKK terrorists try to kidnap Huda-Par members Ali Ayik and Mikail Ayik in Diyarbakir’s Dicle district. Locals prevented the attempt but three people were wounded during the struggle.
- Oct. 17, 2014: Mehmet Latif Sener, 66-year-old tradesmen known for being a Huda-Par follower, is assassinated in a street attack. Two terrorists were caught while trying to flee to a PKK mountain base.
- June 5, 2015: Servet Tutkun, AK Party district chairman of Erzurum’s Karayazi district, kidnapped and assaulted. Tutkun was released the same day.
- March 29, 2016: Salih Zeki Cetinkaya, AK Party district chairman of Erzurum’s Ispir district, was kidnapped on the Bingol-Diyarbakir motorway while he and his brother traveled to Sanliurfa. Cetinkaya escaped two days later.
- Aug. 13, 2016: Naci Adiyaman, head of the AK Party’s youth branch in Sirnak’s Beytussebap, kidnapped; his dead body was found later.
- Sept. 1, 2016: PKK members kidnap and murder 29-year-old Menderes Ozer, an AK Party member and the son of a former village guard association chairman.
- Sept. 10, 2016: PKK leaves explosives at family grave of Kurdish-origin AK Party Deputy Chairman Mehdi Eker.
- Sept. 14, 2016: Ahmet Budak, former AK Party parliamentary candidate in Hakkari province, killed outside his home in front of his son.
- Oct. 9, 2016: AK Party district deputy head in Ozalp district of eastern Van province, Aydin Mustu, killed at his home in front of his children.
- Oct. 11, 2016: AK Party district chairman in southeastern Diyarbakir's Dicle district, Deryan Aktert, killed at his workplace.
- Oct. 16, 2016: Mehmet Serif Dogu, member of municipality council in Ercis district of Van, killed in front of his home.
- Apr. 15, 2017: Motorcade of AK Party district chairman Ibrahim Vanli attacked by PKK terrorists in Muradiye district of Van; Vanli's nephew Adnan, who was also a guard, lost his life.
Reporting by Cemil Murat Budak;Writing by Fatih Hafiz Mehmet
