HEWLÊR
Osman Köse, Neriman Osman and Beşdar Ramazan died in the assassination action against the occupying Turkish consuls in the Huqqabaz restaurant on July 17 in Hewlêr.
Osman was killed in the action in Hewlêr and buried in Mersin on 18 July. After the event, many debates are being conducted about who Osman is. there is still uncertainty as to whether the occupying Turkish state did business at the Hewlêr Consulate or whether Osman was on a secret mission. While there were no clear statements from the KDP and the authorities about the attack, many different opinions were raised on this issue.
One day after the action, an article on the US-based Al-Monitor website contained very important information about Kose. Al-Monitor said: “In Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, murdered Turkish diplomat Osman Köse was reportedly on a six-month mission in Erbil Consulate.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Hulusi Akar Defense Minister, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and the President of Turkey Intelligence Organization (MIT) President Hakan Fidan, gave Osman the status of ‘martyr’ and attended the funeral in Mersin.
Iraqi President Berhem Salih and many officials called gang leader Tayyip Erdoğan for condolences.
A senior official told Al-Monitor, “We are assessing the incident in Erbil. Preliminary information shows that the killing of the Turkish diplomat was carefully planned and prepared in advance. On the way to the airport, officials were inspecting video footage from security cameras at the restaurant at the Empire World, a luxurious office and residential complex.” He did not elaborate further by showing the ‘extreme sensitivity ın of the case.
The veil of mystery may be related to the role of Osman on the Turkish mission. In the past, a well-informed source confirmed the information on such issues, Turkey’s Osman is a member of MIT and worked in Iran. The source, who refused to be known by his name, said that Köse was sitting in the restaurant with his ‘business partners’ who were not working at the consulate.
No explanation of Köse’s work or rank at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other foreign records has been shared. Contrary to some media reports, Kose is said to be ‘secretary’, not vice-consul.
