Turkish media has recently published manipulative reports suggesting that a PKK member code named Doctor Aydın was captured by the Turkish military unit ‘Maroon Berets’ in Southern Kurdistan.

Information on when Doctor Aydın was ‘captured’ and where he is being kept currently is not given in the news articles that were prepared at a center (as usual) and distributed to all media outlets. The only information is that Doctor Aydın is ‘being questioned.’

Turkish media states that the operation was carried out in ‘Northern Iraq’, i.e. in South Kurdistan. The KDP has not made a statement on this issue yet. However, we should note that the news articles in question were published right after Nechirvan Barzani’s meeting with Erdoğan.

People’s Defense Central Headquarters Command’s statement on May 4 and some obtained information clarify the issue.

Right, a guerrilla named Doctor Aydın was in fact captured. However, this capture is not new and took place exactly 14 months ago. Below is the summary of the information given by People’s Defense Central Headquarters Command:

Doctor Aydın gets injured during an airstrike carried out by Turkish jets in February, 2016. For a while, he receives treatment in Duhok Hospital which is under the control of KDP. The KDP officials and Peshmerga commanders in and around Duhok are familiar with Doctor Aydın. After a while, Doctor Aydın tries to go to Rojava in order to receive a more comprehensive care. He gets arrested by KDP officials and Asayish (public security) near Zakho while on his way to Rojava in a civilian car and unarmed.

The exact date of his arrest is February 28, 2016.

The issue of Doctor Aydın comes up during the talks between PKK and KDP officials, and PKK demands his release. PKK somehow finds out where in Duhok Doctor Aydın is held. Doctor Aydın launches hunger strike in order to protest the KDP's practices. A unit from Turkey is said to have participated in the interrogation of Doctor Aydın.
The PKK side states that they want to have a dialogue on the issue and does not make the issue public.

However, KDP refuses to release Doctor Aydin since. KDP does not change its attitude despite knowing that Doctor Aydın is injured and in need of treatment.

In its statement, People's Defense Central Command does not specify whether or not the KDP handed Doctor Aydın over to Turkey. However, it says that Doctor Aydın should be released immediately 'if there is no betrayal or collaboration in question'.

KDP has yet to make a statement on the related reports of the Turkish media or the statement of People's Defense Central Headquarters Command.

However, local sources report that Doctor Aydın has been handed over to Turkish forces. Turkish intelligence agents and shady figures that use Duhok and Zakho like their own bases are carrying out the interrogation and torture of Doctor Aydın themselves. It is not clear if they took him to Turkey.

Below are some questions that the KDP should answer;

1- Why did you arrest an injured guerrilla?

2- You knew that the injured person you arrested is a PKK guerrilla named Doctor Aydın. On which basis did you want to make this issue a matter of negotiation with the PKK?

3- In return for what did you hand over a guerrilla that is under arrest for more than a year to Turkish forces? If you have not handed him over, where is Doctor Aydın? If he is alive, has he been through legal procedures such as a court trial?

4- Did you give the inaccurate information that guerrilla Doctor Aydın is 'in charge of TAK' to the Turkish media? What did you receive from Ankara in exchange for introducing Doctor Aydın like this?