Iranian forces have killed the deputy commander of Iraq-based Kurdish rebel group PJAK, the Islamic republic’s elite Revolutionary Guards said in a statement on Wednesday. “Majid Kavian, deputy commander of the terrorist (Party of Free Life of Kurdistan) PJAK group, with the alias of Samakou Sarhaldan was killed on ,” September 3, the Guards said. The re ort did not mention under what circumstances Kavian was killed, but quoting a statement attributed to PJAK, the Guards said Kavian “was killed by artillery shrapnel.”
The report said Kavian had been engaged in “terrorist operations inside Iran” since 2003. According to the Guards, so far more than 30 PJAK rebels have been killed and 40 wounded in the second wave of attacks, while Iran has suffered two casualties. Human Rights Watch has criticised Iran and Turkey over their military actions targeting suspected rear-bases of Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.
