PKK murders internal conflict, says French intelligence
Three Kurdish women gunned down on Jan. 9 in Paris were killed as the result of
an internal conflict in the organization, according to the French intelligence agency.
Ankara authorities received
official notification from French intelligence hinting toward an internal cause as the reason for the assassinations of Sakine Cansız, one of the founders of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, along with Leyla Söylemez and Fidan Doğan.
French officials were reportedly already aware of the tensions between different sections of the PKK before the killing occurred, Doğan news agency reported.
Foreign powers may have also fueled such tensions, using frustrated PKK members to commit the murders, according to authorities.
The three women were killed in an execution-style attack as a new round of peace talks was launched between the Turkish government and Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK.
Two detained
French police detained two suspects, aged 39 and 31, on Jan. 17 in connection with the killings, French daily Le Parisien reported Jan. 18.
Paris counter-terrorism office has extended the period of custody for the suspects, who can now be held for up to 96 hours.
The suspects are reportedly residents of the Courneuve district and were born in Turkey.
January/20/2013
