Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (July 24-31, 2008)

VZCZCXRO9310
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #1452 2260831
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130831Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7135
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 001452

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (July 24-31, 2008)

REF: ANKARA 1345 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 July 24-31, 2008 reporting period, five security
officials were killed, including two in clashes and three by IED.
Four security officials were injured, including three in clashes and
one by an IED. The total number of security force casualties for
the year through July 31, 2008, was 63 killed and 98 injured.

3. (U) During the same period, two PKK terrorists were killed in
clashes. Six PKKers were captured and three surrendered. According
to official TGS website figures, through the fourth week of July,
the number of PKK militants killed this year was 554, the number of
those captured was 118, and the number of those who surrendered was
92.

4. (U) The IEDs placed by the PKK claimed the lives of five
civilians -- two in Lice, Diyarbakir Province on July 24, and three
in Semdinli, Hakkari Province on July 27. Three additional
civilians were injured, including two by the IED in Lice, and one in
clashes in Koyulhisar, Sivas Province on July 31. The TGS website
noted that one civilian was kidnapped for ransom by the PKK in Kigi,
Bingol Province on July 24. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior and
the Istanbul Governor were quoted as blaming the PKK for two bomb
explosions that left 17 people dead and 154 people injured in the
Istanbul suburb of Gungoren on July 27. Despite accusations from
GOT officials, there was media speculation about who might actually
have carried out these attacks, and the PKK denied responsibility.
The total number of civilian casualties for the year through the end
of the fourth week of July, including the Gungoren bombings, was 40
killed, with another 225 wounded.

SILLIMAN

© Scoop Media