Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (March 16-23, 2008)

VZCZCXRO4794
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #0566 0860949
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260949Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5691
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//
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/425ABG IZMIR TU//CC//
RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ

UNCLAS ANKARA 000566

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (March 16-23, 2008)

REF: ANKARA 525 and previous

(U) Sensitive but unclassified - please protect accordingly.

1. (SBU) This is another in a series of weekly reports on PKK
violence in Turkey. Our primary source is the Turkish General Staff
(TGS) website, which documents contacts and clashes with the PKK, as
well as casualties incurred.

2. (U) During the March 16-23, 2008 reporting period, no Turkish
security official was killed or injured. The total number of
security force casualties for the year through March 23, 2008 was 20
killed and 18 injured.

3. (U) During the same period, six PKK terrorists were captured and
another two surrendered. None were killed. According to official
TGS website figures, through the third week of March, the number of
PKK militants killed this year was 260, the number of those captured
was 70, and the number of those who surrendered was 30.

4. (U) Two civilians died and an undetermined number (well into the
dozens) were injured during unauthorized Nevruz celebrations in Van
on March 22 and in Yuksekova, Hakkari Province on March 23.
Civilian casualties linked to PKK-related violence and counter-PKK
operations for the year through the end of the third week of March
were nine killed, with another 49 wounded.

WILSON

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