Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (June 16-22, 2007)

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RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #1634/01 1771329
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261329Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2753
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/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
RHMFIUU/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 SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001634

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (June 16-22, 2007)

REF: ANKARA 1571 and previous

(U) Sensitive but unclassified - please protect accordingly.

1. (SBU) This is another in a series of periodic reports on PKK
violence in Turkey. Our primary sources for these reports are
mainstream Turkish press services, such as the Anatolian News
Agency, and international wire services. While these are more
reliable than most Turkish press sources, they are not necessarily
unimpeachable. A major source is the Turkish General Staff (TGS)
website which documents contacts/clashes with the PKK. Press
services sympathetic to the PKK, such as Neu-Isenburg People's
Defense Forces and Firat News Agency, tend to report higher numbers
of the Turkish Security Forces casualties and are often otherwise
unreliable.

2. (U) From June 16 to 22, 2007, two security personnel died in
PKK-related violence. During the same period ten security officials
were wounded in action (WIA). So far in June, 18 were KIA and 47
WIA. While fewer casualties occurred this week than last, casualty
figures for June already exceed those for May, when 15 security
personnel were KIA.

3. (U) In the third week of June the body of a PKK terrorist was
found and nine PKK terrorists were arrested.

4. (U) The TGS website reported 10 clashes between security forces
and PKK terrorists in the region. Security forces unearthed dozens
of PKK shelters and caves and seized booby-trapped land mines; other
explosives, including A-4 and TNT; Kalashnikov rifles; cartridges;
hand grenades; pistols; night vision binoculars; TV sets; satellite
antennas; and radios.

5. (U) Activity as reported by TGS website:

CLASHES NUMBER

May 2007 (one month) 40
June 1-22 30

CASUALTIES

Security Forces
May 2007 (one month) 15 KIA, 52 WIA
June 1-22 18 KIA, 47 WIA

PKK
May 2007 (one month) 1 KIA, 53 captured
June 1-22 2 KIA, 31 captured

CACHES RECOVERED

May 2007 (one month) 113
June 1-22 38

6. (U) Following are the casualty figures for 2007:

TURKISH SECURITY FORCES
KIA WIA

JANUARY 1 2

FEBRUARY 1 0

MARCH 5 4

APRIL 18 16

MAY 15 42

JUNE 1-22 19 47

TOTAL 59 111

PKK
KIA Captured

ANKARA 00001634 002 OF 002

JANUARY 5 11

FEBRUARY 0 8

MARCH 9 18

APRIL 2 47

MAY 2* 53

JUNE 1-22 2 31

TOTAL 20 168

* Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 attack in Ankara

CIVILIANS
KIA WIA

JANUARY 0 0

FEBRUARY 1 0

MARCH 0 0

APRIL 1 0

MAY 13* 108*

JUNE 1-22 0 1

TOTAL 15 109

* Includes 8 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing.

WILSON

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