Mustafa Kemal Yaycili

From the news reports:

Mustafa Kemal Yaycili, an high official of the Ankara-backed Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) ...

Yaycili was born in the village of Yayci in Kerkuk in 1955. Like many Iraqi Turkmens, Yaycili went to the Republic of Turkey for his university education. He was formally involved in Turkmen activism since the mid-1980's, and was active in coordination with other groups in the Iraqi opposition to the now deposed regime of Saddam Hussein.

In the past he had both attacked KDP leader Messud Barzani and his party for allegedly persecuting Iraqi Turkmens and accused Kurds of expelling Turkmens from their homes following the liberation of Kerkuk this past April. He boldy claimed that "Kerkuk throughout history has always been a Turkmen city," and also stated previous to the recent war that it would be harmful for the Republic of Turkey to make claims to Kerkuk. Yaycili spoke Turkish, Arabic, and English, and had two children.

Kurdish Media 14 May 2004