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Former PKK Commander Killed in Iraqi Kurdistan

“For many years, the PKK’s policies and objectives were in the interest of Kurdish nation, but after a while, the PKK diverted from this interest and started to serve one person”

10.08.2014 – BasNews, Zakho –  A former Commander of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Osman Balic, known as Shorsh, has been killed in Zakho, Duhok province in his home with his three-year-old daughter. On Thursday night at 10:00 pm, two unknown militants with Kalashnikovs entered Shorsh’s house, killing him and his daughter and injuring his wife.

A former member of the PKK Leadership Council that wanted to remain anonymous told BasNews, “After Shorsh left the PKK, he protected his neutrality, but wrote many articles for Kurdish press and newspapers about the situation in Kurdistan cities in Turkey as well as criticizing the current policies of PKK, hence he was often threated by PKK officials.

“Shorsh was threatened and messages were sent to his Facebook account where he was called a “betrayer” or “traitor” and ultimately it was written on his house’s wall that his death was getting close,” said the Former PKK member. “Because Shorsh had confidential information about the policies of PKK, he was often scared. Thus, he was living secretly because he knew that someday the PKK will take revenge against him for his resignation from the PKK,” added the former PKK member.

In one of Shorsh’s articles, he stated that: “For many years, the PKK’s policies and objectives were in the interest of Kurdish nation, but after a while, the PKK diverted from this interest and started to serve one person or political party.”

Shorsh was born in the Cizire area of Turkey and joined the PKK in1988. After a short time, he was promoted to commander of PKK guerillas. In 2004, with many other PKK leaders and members, he left the party and settled in Zakho, Duhok.

In the PKK, his brother and nine other family members have been killed previously. Another brother of Shorsh called Shahin Balic entered the PKK in the early days and soon become a famous commander in the party. After an attack by the PKK in 1988, many civilians were killed. Balic criticized the leadership of the PKK,  believing killing civilians is not in the interest of the PKK. Therefore, the PKK leadership accused him of violating the principles of the PKK and was investigated later on the decision of jailed Kurdish PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.