On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) announced that they had “neutralized” Azad Akıncı, the leader of the Makhmur camp affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in a targeted operation.

According to official Turkish media, Akıncı was killed in a drone strike that bombed the Makhmur camp located on Mount Karachukh in eastern Makhmur. The camp is viewed by Turkey as a training ground for PKK members, and it has been the focus of several previous Turkish military operations.

Turkey has intensified its military efforts in recent years to dismantle PKK operations both in the Kurdistan Region and disputed areas. These operations, however, have led to significant displacement, with hundreds of villages evacuated and numerous civilian casualties reported. The growing humanitarian crisis in the region has drawn criticism from various international human rights organizations.

The PKK has been engaged in an armed conflict with the Turkish state for over 30 years, fighting for Kurdish rights. More than 40,000 people have died as a result of this conflict. While Turkey justifies its actions as necessary for national security, critics argue that the military operations disproportionately affect civilians and have worsened the humanitarian situation in the region.