PKK murders internal conflict, says French intelligence

ISTANBUL

People carry the coffins, covered with PKK flags, of three Kurdish activists as tens of thousands of people gather for their funeral in Diyarbakir, sourtheastern Turkey, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013. The three women activists, including a founding member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, were found shot dead in Paris last week at a time when Turkey is holding peace talks with the rebels' jailed leader. Many believe the killings may be an effort to derail the talks. (AP Photo)

Three Kurdish women gunned down on Jan. 9 in Paris were killed as the result of an internal conflict in the organization, according to the French intelligence agency.Ankara authorities received official notification from French intelligence hinting toward an internal cause as the reason for the assassinations of Sakine Cansız, one of the founders of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, along with Leyla Söylemez and Fidan Doğan.French officials were reportedly already aware of the tensions between different sections of the PKK before the killing occurred, Doğan news agency reported.Foreign powers may have also fueled such tensions, using frustrated PKK members to commit the murders, according to authorities.The three women were killed in an execution-style attack as a new round of peace talks was launched between the Turkish government and Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK.French police detained two suspects, aged 39 and 31, on Jan. 17 in connection with the killings, French daily Le Parisien reported Jan. 18.Paris counter-terrorism office has extended the period of custody for the suspects, who can now be held for up to 96 hours.The suspects are reportedly residents of the Courneuve district and were born in Turkey.