The People's Liberation Party-Front of Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Halk Kurtuluş Partisi-Cephesi, THKP-C) was a Turkish Marxist–Leninist guerrilla group It was founded in 1970 by

Münir Ramazan Aktolga {{redirect, Monir, the village in Iran, Monir, Iran Muneer (also spelled Moneer, Monir, Mounir, or Muneyr, ar, منير, meaning ''illuminating'', ''lightsome'', ''bright'', ''luminous'') is a masculine Arabic given name, it may refer to: Given na ...

Yusuf Küpeli Yusuf ( ar, يوسف ') is a male name of Arabic origin meaning " God increases" (in piety, power and influence).From the Hebrew יהוה להוסיף ''YHWH Lhosif'' meaning "YHWH will increase/add". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew nam ...

and

Mahir Çayan Mahir Çayan (15 March 1946 – 30 March 1972) was a Turkish people, Turkish Communism, communist revolutionary and the leader of People's Liberation Party-Front of Turkey (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Türkiye Halk Kurtuluş Partisi-Cephesi''). ...

, with the People's Liberation Party of Turkey (THKP) being the political wing, and the People's Liberation Front of Turkey (THKC) being the armed wing.

Kidnapping of Ephraim Elrom

On 17 May 1971, the THKC guerrillas Ulaş Bardakçı,

Hüseyin Cevahir Hussein, Hussain, Hossein, Hossain, Huseyn, Husayn, Husein or Husain (; ar, حُسَيْن ), coming from the triconsonantal root Ḥ-S-i-N ( ar, ح س ی ن, link=no), is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", " ...

Necmi Demir Necmi () may refer to: Given name * Necmi Perekli (born 1948), Turkish footballer * Necmi Sönmez (born 1968), Turkish-German curator, art critic and writer Surname * Ismail Necmi Ishmael ''Ismaḗl''; Classical/Qur'anic Arabic: إِسْم ...

Oktay Etiman Oktay is a Turkish masculine given name. It is also used as a surname. Notable people with the name are as follows: First name *Oktay Afandiyev (1926–2013), Azerbaijani historian * Oktay Delibalta (born 1985), Turkish football player *Oktay Dere ...

and Ziya Yılmaz kidnapped Israeli consul Ephraim Elrom. They left an announcement directed "''to the Americanist Councile of Ministers''" (Turkish: ''Amerikancı Bakanlar Kuruluna'') written by Ulaş Bardakçı and Hüseyin Cevahir. After the Sledgehammer Operation, THKC guerrillas killed Ephraim Elrom on 22 May 1971. Elrom's body was found on the 23 May 1971 in the Hamarat Building,

Nişantaşı Nişantaşı is an upmarket, largely secular residential neighbourhood in the Şişli district on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey. Separated from Osmanbey and Pangaltı to the west by busy Halaskargazi Caddesi, it is a popular shopping ...

İstanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_in ...

. After the killing of the consul, the ethnic

Zaza Zaza may refer to: Ethnic group * Zazas, a group of people in eastern Anatolia (southeastern Turkey) * Zaza–Gorani languages, Indo-Iranian languages ** Zaza language, spoken by the Zazas People Given name * Zaza Sor. Aree (born 1993), Thai kic ...

actor

Yılmaz Güney Yılmaz Güney (' Pütün; 1 April 1937 – 9 September 1984) was a Kurdish film director, screenwriter, novelist, and actor. He quickly rose to prominence in the Turkish film industry. Many of his works were devoted to the plight of ordinary wo ...

hid the THKC guerrillas.

Sibel Erkan Affair

The THKC guerrillas left Güney's house the 24 May 1971. On 30 May 1971 Çayan and Cevahir entered a house in Maltepe, İstanbul, and took Sibel Erkan as a hostage. The police and army initiated a rescue operation and had the house under siege for 51 hours. After, they attacked the guerrillas on 1 June 1971. Firstly sniper Cihangir Erdeniz directed 3 shots at Cevahir. After, the forces entered the house and killed Cevahir. Also Çayan was captured.

Trials and escape from prison

After the arrest of THKP-C guerrillas, trials begun. Çayan and Bardakçı asked with execution. But on 29 November 1971, 2 THKO and 3 THKP-C guerillas escaped from prison.

Cihan Alptekin Cihan Alptekin (1947 – 30 March 1972) was a Turkish revolutionary and militant who was a leader in left-wing organisations such as People's Liberation Army of Turkey, and the Revolutionary Youth Federation of Turkey, a Marxist organisation. He ...

and Ömer Ayna from THKO,

, Ulaş Bardakçı and Ziya Yılmaz from THKP-C.

Expulsion of Aktolga and Küpeli from THKP

After the escape Çayan meets with Münir Ramazan Aktolga and Yusuf Küpeli. After the meets, Çayan blamed Aktolga and Küpeli for being '' Doctorist''. With proposal of Çayan, Aktolga and Küpeli exiled from THKP and THKC.

Fall of the Urban Guerrilla team

After the escape Çayan and Bardakçı make a decision. Çayan beings leader of the rural guerrilla units and Bardakçı beings leader of the urban guerrilla units. On 19 February 1971 07:00, Bardakçı killed in

Arnavutköy Arnavutköy ( Albanian village; el, Μέγα Ρεύμα, Mega Revma) is a neighbourhood in Istanbul, Turkey renowned for its wooden Ottoman mansions and seafood restaurants, as well as for the campus of the prestigious Robert College with its ...

. With this, the urban guerrilla unit of the THKC was defeated.

Kızıldere Affair

A Black Sea rural guerrilla team of the THKC and some THKO guerrillas, kidnapped 2 Canadian and 1 Briton radar technicians in

Ünye Ünye (''Oinòe'', Οἰνόη in ancient Greek) is a large town and district of Ordu Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey, 76 km west of the city of Ordu. In 2009 it had 74,806 inhabitants. İrfan Akar is the President of the Chamber o ...

on 26 March 1972. The revolutionaries were surrounded by Turkish soldiers in

Tokat Tokat is the capital city of Tokat Province of Turkey in the mid- Black Sea region of Anatolia. It is located at the confluence of the Tokat River (Tokat Suyu) with the Yeşilırmak. In the 2018 census, the city of Tokat had a population of 155, ...

Niksar Niksar, historically known as Neocaesarea (Νεοκαισάρεια), is a city in Tokat Province, Turkey. It was settled by many empires, being once the capital city of the province. Niksar is known as "Çukurova of the North-Anatolia" due to i ...

, Kızıldere village on 30 March 1972. At first, the soldiers wanted to negotiate with the militants. Then the soldiers opened fire upon the militants, as result of which Mahir Çayan died. After the death of Çayan, the militants killed the technicians. And conflict starts. After the conflict, 9 guerrilla dead.2 guerrilla from THKO and 7 guerrilla from THKP-C. Saffet Alp (from THKP-C) was captured. But after he was killed by soldiers. One of the guerrillas,

Ertuğrul Kürkçü Ertuğrul Kürkçü (born 5 May 1948) is a Turkish politician, socialist activist and the current Honorary President of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) as of 22 June 2014 and Honorary Associate of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of ...

, hid and saved himself. But after he was captured on 31 March 1971. Because the father of Kürkçü couldn't find his sons body amongst the dead.Now Kürkçü is a member of the Peoples' Democratic Party.

Footnotes

References

{{Authority control 1970 establishments in Turkey 1972 disestablishments in Turkey Banned communist parties Banned political parties in Turkey Defunct communist militant groups Defunct communist parties in Turkey Far-left politics in Turkey Guerrilla organizations Left-wing militant groups in Turkey