Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (September 24-30, 2007)
VZCZCXRO4117
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #2445/01 2750954
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020954Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3883
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 04 ANKARA 002445
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (September 24-30, 2007)
REF: ANKARA 2413 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 24-30, 2007 reporting period, 11 GOT
security officials were killed, including seven village guards shot
by PKK terrorists while riding on a minibus and another three in IED
explosions. Fifteen security officials were injured, including 10
in explosions.
3. (U) In the same period, 11 PKK terrorists were killed in clashes,
while three PKKers were captured and another five surrendered.
4. (U) The TGS website reported 12 clashes between security forces
and PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeastern region during the
reporting period. Security forces discovered at least 35 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 detected 21
explosive devices in the region, most of which were detonated in a
controlled environment before they exploded as planned by the PKK.
6. (U) On September 29, PKK terrorists opened fire on a minibus
carrying village guards and civilians who were returning from a
water pipeline construction project to their homes in Besagac,
Beytussebap District in Sirnak Province. Seven village guards and
five civilians died and one village guard and one civilian were
injured during the incident.
On September 29, a young boy collecting wood, stepped on a PKK mine
near Balaban, Dicle District, Diyarbakir Province. He was killed.
On September 28, a PKK mine went off in the mountainous region of
Adakli District, Bingol Province, killing three grazing animals.
On September 25, a PKK mine went off in the mountainous region of
Pulumur District, Tunceli Province, killing three grazing animals.
On September 24, a privately-owned tractor struck a mine on the road
between Mutki and Kapakli in Bitlis Province and was damaged.
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
September 24-30, 2007, 12
September (full month), 35
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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
September 16-23, 2007 1 KIA, 5 WIA
September 24-30, 2007 11 KIA, 15 WIA
September (full month) 12 KIA, 32 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 surrendered
September 8-15, 2007 7 KIA, 4 captured, 3 surrendered
September 16-23, 2007 21 KIA, 5 captured, 0 surrendered
September 24-30, 2007 11 KIA, 3 captured, 5 surrendered
September (full month) 40 KIA, 15 captured, 9 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
September 24-30, 2007, 35
September (full month), 119
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
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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
SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2007, 11 KIA, 15 WIA
SEPTEMBER (full month), 12 KIA, 32 WIA
TOTAL 98 KIA, 192 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
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
SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2007, 11 KIA, 3 captured, 5 surrendered
September(full month), 40 KIA, 15 captured,9 surrendered
TOTAL 175 KIA, 138 Captured, 63 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
SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2007, 6 KIA, 1 WIA
SEPTEMBER(full month), 7 KIA, 1 WIA
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TOTAL 26 KIA, 114 WIA
* Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing.
WILSON