Cablegate: Pkk Violence Continues, Defense Ministry Claims

VZCZCXRO1452
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #3948 1880703
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070703Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7080
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEKDAI/DIA WASHDC
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5//
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC//
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ

UNCLAS ANKARA 003948

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL TU IZ
SUBJECT: PKK VIOLENCE CONTINUES, DEFENSE MINISTRY CLAIMS
ALMOST 6000 SECURITY FORCES KILLED SINCE 1984

REF: A. ANKARA 3775

B. ANKARA 3476 AND PREVIOUS

1. (SBU) This is another in a series of periodic reports on
PKK violence in Turkey (see ref b). Our primary sources for
these reports are mainstream Turkish press services, such as
the Anatolian News Agency, and international wire services.
While these sources are more reliable than most Turkish press
sources, they are not necessarily unimpeachable. Press
services sympathetic to the PKK, such as Neu-Isenberg
People's Defense Forces and Firat News Agency, tend to report
higher numbers of Turkish Security Forces casualties.

2. (U) According to press reports, two members of the Turkish
Security Forces were killed and six wounded over the period
June 12 - July 2. Five civilians were wounded. During the
same period, 20 PKK terrorists were killed, including 11 in
clashes June 23 in Hakkari Province. The press further
reported that three PKK terrorists surrendered to Turkish
authorities in the Turkey-Iraq border town of Silopi. These
are usually PKK members who have voluntarily returned from
northern Iraq and seek to leave terrorism behind; typically
they provide a debrief to Turkish authorities and reintegrate
into Turkish society.

3. (U) The Turkish Defense Minister announced in Parliament
June 21 that 5968 Turkish security personnel (soldiers and
police) were killed and 11,794 wounded in PKK violence since
1984, when the PKK started its violent separatist campaign.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON

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