KANDIL (QANDIL) MOUNTAINS

These are very rugged mountains reaching heights of approximately 3,000 meters and situated on the border between northernIraqandIran. For the past decade some 5,000 fighters of theKurdistan Workers Party(PKK) have been encamped there. Periodically,Turkeyhas struck this area with aerial attacks, while Iran has similarly attacked theKurdistan Free Life Party(PJAK) fighters also encamped here. As of the summer of 2010, however, these attacks have not succeeded in removing the PKK or PJAK from their mountainous camps.Murat Karayilanis the main PKK military leader in these mountains. The PKK presence in the Kandil Mountains has also become a heated issue of dispute between Turkey, theKurdistan Regional Government(KRG), Iraq, and theUnited States.