Ghazi Salih, 47, was the head of the security forces (Asayesh) affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) at Sarzer border crossing in the Amedi district of Duhok. He was shot at his home in the village of Galik on October 8 evening and died on the way to hospital.
Kurdish security forces two days later accused the PKK of being involved in the killing.
"Following precise and comprehensive investigations, it turned out that he was terrorized by the PKK," reads a statement from the General Directorate of Asayesh (security) of Erbil. "He had directly and indirectly been threatened."
The People's Defence Forces - the PKK’s military wing known by its Kurdish acronym, HPG - has come out just now to deny their involvement in the killing of Salih.
"The directorate of the general Asayesh of the Region of South Kurdistan and some media outlets accused our movement of conducting this dark attack," reads a statement from the HPG, published by ANF News, a media outlet close to the group, categorically denying "involvement in this attack".
"Therefore, all the statements and news of our involvement are far from being true," it added.
The border crossing where Salih worked and his home village are in the Kani Masi sub-district that borders Turkey and sees regular clashes between the PKK and the Turkish army.
