PKK and affiliates on leaked Facebook list of ‘dangerous’ individuals, organizations
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A leaked document compiled by Facebook has revealed that the company considers mentions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and 15 other affiliated individuals and organizations in posts as “dangerous” and warranting possible removal.
The hundred-page internal document published by the Intercept contains the names of over 4,000 organizations, political parties, and individuals that are flagged by the social media company as “dangerous.”
There are 16 mentions of groups and individuals affiliated with the PKK in the document, most notably the armed group itself and the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK).
Established in 2003, PJAK is considered by many to be the Iranian wing of the PKK, but the group itself claims they are linked only by a shared ideology.
PJAK is considered a terrorist organization by Iran and the PKK one by Turkey.
The list also contains a media outlet affiliated with the PKK, and several deceased individuals, including PKK founding members Sakine Cansiz and Mezlum Dogan.
Also on the list, are leaders of the the group including the imprisoned Abdullah Ocalan and Murat Karayilan, a member of the executive body.
Apart from PKK affiliates, the list also includes other Kurdish organizations and individuals, such as the al-Qaida Kurdish Battalions and most notably Erbil-based religious cleric Ismail Susaiy, who was arrested in 2018 and charged with ties to the Islamic State (ISIS) group.
The leaked list also has over 200 mentions of groups and individuals affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Of those affiliated to the IRGC are Iran’s ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi and assassinated IRGC general Qasim Soleimani.
The head of Iraq’s pro-Iran Asaib Ahl al-Haq Qais Khazali and assassinated Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF or Hashd al-Shaabi) general Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis are also mentioned on the list.
There are hundreds of other Iran-backed groups and parties on the list including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
The hundred-page internal document published by the Intercept contains the names of over 4,000 organizations, political parties, and individuals that are flagged by the social media company as “dangerous.”
There are 16 mentions of groups and individuals affiliated with the PKK in the document, most notably the armed group itself and the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK).
Established in 2003, PJAK is considered by many to be the Iranian wing of the PKK, but the group itself claims they are linked only by a shared ideology.
PJAK is considered a terrorist organization by Iran and the PKK one by Turkey.
The list also contains a media outlet affiliated with the PKK, and several deceased individuals, including PKK founding members Sakine Cansiz and Mezlum Dogan.
Also on the list, are leaders of the the group including the imprisoned Abdullah Ocalan and Murat Karayilan, a member of the executive body.
Apart from PKK affiliates, the list also includes other Kurdish organizations and individuals, such as the al-Qaida Kurdish Battalions and most notably Erbil-based religious cleric Ismail Susaiy, who was arrested in 2018 and charged with ties to the Islamic State (ISIS) group.
The leaked list also has over 200 mentions of groups and individuals affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Of those affiliated to the IRGC are Iran’s ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi and assassinated IRGC general Qasim Soleimani.
The head of Iraq’s pro-Iran Asaib Ahl al-Haq Qais Khazali and assassinated Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF or Hashd al-Shaabi) general Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis are also mentioned on the list.
There are hundreds of other Iran-backed groups and parties on the list including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.