Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist Türkiye Komünist Partisi/Marksist-Leninist | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General Secretary |
|
| Founder | İbrahim Kaypakkaya |
| Founded | April 24, 1972; 53 years ago (1972-04-24) |
| Split from | TİİKP |
| Newspaper |
|
| Youth wing | TMLGB |
| Armed wing | TİKKO |
| Ideology | Communism Marxism–Leninism–Maoism |
| Political position | Far-left |
| National affiliation | HBDH[1][2] (formerly) |
| International affiliation | IFB ICL[3] RIM （formerly） |
| Party flag | |
 | |
| Website | |
| www | |
TheCommunist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist (Türkiye Komünist Partisi/Marksist-Leninist inTurkish, abbreviated asTKP/ML) is aMarxist–Leninist–Maoist insurgent organization inTurkey involved in the Maoist military strategy ofpeople's war against theTurkish government. It was founded in 1972 by a group of former members of theRevolutionary Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey (RWPPT), organised byİbrahim Kaypakkaya as TKP (M-L), who wished to carry out armed struggle.
The TKP/ML participated in the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations. It is designated as aterrorist organization by the Turkish state.
| TİKKO | |
|---|---|
| Türkiye İşçi Köylü Kurtuluş Ordusu | |
 | |
| Leaders | TİKKO General Command (collective leadership tied to Party) |
| Active regions | Turkey,Rojava |
| Ideology | Communism Marxism–Leninism-Maoism |
| Part of | Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist |
| Opponents |  Turkey Syrian National Army Islamic State of Iraq and Syria |
| Battles and wars | Maoist insurgency in Turkey Battle for Kobanî Manbij offensive (2016) 2015 Al-Hawl offensive Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016) Raqqa campaign (2016–2017)Turkish military operation in Afrin |
The armed wing of the party is named the Liberation Army of the Workers and Peasants of Turkey (Türkiye İşci ve Köylü Kurtuluş Ordusu in Turkish, abbreviated asTİKKO).
The Marxist-Leninist Youth Union of Turkey (Türkiye Marksist Leninist Gençlik Birliği in Turkish, abbreviated asTMLGB) is the youth organization of TKP/ML. TMLGB, founded in 1972 as an organisation for youth workers, peasants, students and other youths from different production sectors under theIstanbul Province Committee. Mehmet Zeki Şerit (died in 1977 under torture) was the first chair of the TMLGB. TMLGB did not work actively until its first congress in 1987.
Following the military memorandum of 1971 the Turkish government cracked down on the communist movement in Turkey. Kaypakkaya and several of his colleagues were arrested. The party machinery was destroyed, while Kaypakkaya died in prison in 1973 as a result oftorture.
The Communist Party of Turkey (Marxist–Leninist) re-organized between 1973 and 1978. The first party congress took place in 1978 (TKP (M-L) I. Kongresi in Turkish). In 1981 the second congress was organized (TKP (M-L) II. Kongresi). The party split following the second congress, the splinter group taking up the name TKP/ML (Bolşevik), laterBolshevik Party (North Kurdistan-Turkey).
This was neither the first nor the last split in the party. TheCommunist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist – Hareketi had already split in (1976) during the re-organisation period. Other splits followed the second congress:Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (Revolutionary Partisan) (1987),Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (Maoist Party Centre) (1987) andCommunist Party of Turkey (Marxist-Leninist) (1994).
.jpg)
On 17 May 1985, TKP/ML broadcast a propaganda message to millions of television viewers in Istanbul, replacing the soundtrack for the evening news.[4]
On 29 June 2010, two guerillas of the TİKKO were killed in the mountains ofTunceli by the Turkish state forces.
On 2 February 2011, five guerillas of TİKKO inTunceli died as a result of an avalanche.[5][6]
On 26 July 2013, the control building of a hydroelectric power plant regulator was bombed in the countryside ofTunceli Province by TİKKO militants.[7]
On 14 March 2014, TİKKO guerrillas attacked a police station in Tunceli. TKP/ML declared that the attack was revenge fordeath of Berkin Elvan.[8][9]
In 2016, the organization allegedly kidnapped Erkan Doğan, a civilian, who was later found executed.[10]
In 2014, the organization sent a group of fighters to support the Kurds and other minorities in the fight againstISIS inKobanî. Since then, the group has actively trained and supported the minorities in the fight against the extremist groups.
On 25 March 2016, the organization's headquarters inSerêkaniyê were targeted by a motorcycle bomb causing slight injuries to two members and damage to the headquarters.[11][12][13]
On 14 August 2017, one of the commanders of TİKKO, Fermun Çırak (aliasNubar Ozanyan) died in the fight against ISIS. Ozanyan had trained Kurdish, Turkish, Armenian, Arab, Palestinian, Greek, Canadian, Sardinian, Belgian and French internationalist fighters againstISIS and other Islamist groups.[citation needed]
In 2018, ISIS tried to assassinate the members of the organization by mining the roads that were leading to the organization's headquarter. No casualties were reported.[citation needed]
Following the defeat of ISIS, the TIKKO turned attention to fighting theTurkish Backed Free Syrian Army.[citation needed]
The organisation is listed among the 12 activeterrorist organisations in Turkey as of 2007, according to the Counter-Terrorism and Operations Department of the Directorate General for Security of theTurkish police.[14]
| Members |
|
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
