Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (September 16-23, 2007)

VZCZCXRO8016
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #2413/01 2690959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260959Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3836
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/EUCOM POLAD 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 03 ANKARA 002413

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (September 16-23, 2007)

REF: ANKARA 2367 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) During the September 16-23, 2007 reporting period, one GOT
security official was killed in a clash with the PKK and five more
were injured, including four in explosions.

3. (U) In the same period, 21 PKK terrorists were killed in clashes,
while five PKKers were captured.

4. (U) The TGS website reported 13 clashes between security forces
and PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeastern region during the
reporting period. Security forces discovered at least 60 PKK
shelters/caves/caches 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) During the reporting period, security forces reportedly
discovered approximately 12 separate explosive devices planted by
the PKK in the region. Most were destroyed in controlled
detonations before they could be detonated by terrorists.

6. (U) On September 18, PKK terrorists stopped a civilian car in
Semdinli, Hakkari province, which belonged to a company that
provides supplies to military installations in the southeast.
Terrorists planted a bomb in the vehicle, unbeknownst to the driver.
TGS officials believe the bomb exploded early, killing the civilian
driver and surmise that the actual target of the device was a
military installation.

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

CLASHES (NUMBER)

May 2007, 40

June 2007, 40

July 2007, 15

August 2007, 12

September 1-7, 2007, 5

September 8-15, 2007, 5

September 16-23, 2007, 13

CASUALTIES

Security Forces

May 2007 15 KIA,52 WIA

June 2007 23 KIA,51 WIA

July 2007 10 KIA,14 WIA

August 2007 12 KIA,30 WIA

September 1-7, 2007 0 KIA, 0 WIA

September 8-15, 2007 0 KIA, 12 WIA

ANKARA 00002413 002 OF 003

September 16-23, 2007 1 KIA, 5 WIA

PKK

May 2007 20 KIA, 31 captured, 3 surrendered

June 2007 34 KIA, 16 captured, 17 surrendered

July 2007 11 KIA, 10 captured,13 surrendered

August 2007 38 KIA, 24 captured, 7 surrendered

September 1-7, 2007 1 KIA, 3 captured, 1 surrender
September 8-15, 2007 7 KIA, 4 captured, 3 surrendered
September 16-23, 2007 21 KIA, 5 captured, 0 surrendered

CACHES RECOVERED (NUMBER)

May 2007, 113

June 2007, 50

July 2007, 28

August 2007, 40

September 1-7, 2007, 11

September 8-15, 2007, 13

September 16-23, 2007, 60

7. (U) Following are the casualty figures for the 2007.

TURKISH SECURITY FORCES (KIA or WIA)

JANUARY 1 KIA, 2 WIA

FEBRUARY 1 KIA, 0 WIA

MARCH 5 KIA, 4 WIA

APRIL 18 KIA, 16 WIA

MAY 15 KIA, 43 WIA

JUNE 24 KIA, 51 WIA

JULY 10 KIA, 14 WIA

AUGUST 12 KIA, 30 WIA

SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2007, 0 KIA, 0 WIA

SEPTEMBER 8-15, 2007,0 KIA, 12 WIA

SEPTEMBER 16-23, 2007,1 KIA, 5 WIA

TOTAL 87 KIA, 177 WIA

PKK (KIA, Captured or surrendered)

JANUARY 0 KIA, 5 captured, 3 surrendered

FEBRUARY 0 KIA, 14 captured,0 surrendered

MARCH 16 KIA,15 captured, 7 surrendered

APRIL 16 KIA,8 captured,4 surrendered

MAY 20* KIA,31 captured,3 surrendered

JUNE 34 KIA,16 captured,17 surrendered

JULY 11 KIA,10 captured, 13 surrendered

ANKARA 00002413 003 OF 003

AUGUST 38 KIA,24 captured,7 surrendered

SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2007 1 KIA,3 captured, 1 surrendered

SEPTEMBER 8-15,2007 7 KIA,4 captured,3 surrendered

SEPTEMBER 16-23, 2007,21 KIA, 5 captured, 0 surrendered

TOTAL 164 KIA, 135 captured, 58 surrendered

* Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 attack in Ankara

CIVILIANS (KIA or WIA)

JANUARY 0 KIA, 0 WIA

FEBRUARY 1 KIA, 0 WIA

MARCH 0 KIA, 0 WIA

APRIL 1 KIA, 0 WIA

MAY 14*KIA, 108* WIA

JUNE 1 KIA, 1 WIA

JULY 1 KIA, 3 WIA

AUGUST 1 KIA, 1 WIA

SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2007 0 KIA, 0 WIA

SEPTEMBER 8 - 15, 2007 0 KIA, 0 WIA

SEPTEMBER 16-23, 2007, 1 KIA, 0 WIA

TOTAL 20 KIA, 113 WIA

* Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing.

WILSON

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