Osman Pamukoğlu is a Turkish retired general known for leading operations against the PKK in southeastern Turkey and Iraq and advocating the depopulation of Kurdish-majority rural areas as part of a counterinsurgency strategy.[1][2][3][4] After his retirement from active duty, he entered politics as a right-wing nationalist,[5][6] founding the Rights and Equality Party and advocating "a ruthless military solution to the ongoing socio-political problems".[7]
He was promoted to brigadier general in 1993 and rose to the rank of major general in 1997. Pamukoğlu retired from the rank of major general in 2002, having served a total of 43 years in the Turkish Armed Forces. Pamukoğlu has been awarded the Gold Medal of Distinguished Courage and Self-Sacrifice, the Medal of Distinguished Courage and Self-Sacrifice twice, and the Medal of Excellence in Unit Training[tr] five times. Pamukoğlu is the only person in the Turkish Army to have received five Medals of Excellence in Unit Training. He retired from military service at the age of 55.[8]
In 2007, Serdar Akınan's documentary Kan Uykusu[tr], which examined the development of PKK incidents during his years of service, focused on his fight against the PKK.[9]
21 of the cross-border operations conducted against the PKK were carried out by Pamukoğlu. Pamukoğlu claims that most of these 21 cross-border operations were unauthorised and that permission was only obtained from Ankara on one occasion. He also claimed that prior to the operation for which permission was obtained, certain officials in Ankara had contacted Barzani, who then informed his units.[10]
Political career
Pamukoğlu stepped down from party leadership on 1 March 2015, effectively marking the end of his active political involvement.[11]
References
↑Jongerden, Joost (2021). "Civilizing space: Addressing disorder in rural and urban landscapes". The Routledge Handbook on Contemporary Turkey. Routledge. ISBN978-0-429-26403-0.
↑Balta, Evren (2019). "The village guard system: Counter-insurgency and local collaboration". The Routledge Handbook of Turkish Politics. Routledge. ISBN978-1-315-14384-2.
↑Jongerden, Joost (2007). The Settlement Issue in Turkey and the Kurds: An Analysis of Spatial Policies, Modernity and War. Brill. p.43. ISBN978-90-04-15557-2.
↑Aciksoz, Salih Can (2019). Sacrificial Limbs: Masculinity, Disability, and Political Violence in Turkey. University of California Press. p.23. ISBN978-0-520-30530-4.
Turkey
Major general
Medal of Distinguished Courage and Self-Sacrifice (2 times), Medal of Excellence in Unit Training (5 times)