SE PRESS REACTION TO NORTHERN IRAQ

UNCLAS ADANA 0280

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV PHUM TU IZ ADANA
SUBJECT: SE PRESS REACTION TO NORTHERN IRAQ
CLASH NOVEMBER 13, 2003.



1. OZGUR GUNDEM: The officials from KADEK, which
dissolved itself two days ago, said that there
had been a small-scale clash between their
militants and a group of Border Patrol Police
at Haftanin region in Kurdistan. It is reported
that two HPG, People's Protection Forces,
members ran into border patrol police, and one
guerilla was held by the peshmergas as a result
of the tension that arose. Meanwhile another
HPG member informed the nearest guerilla unit
of the incident. Clashes burst out between the
peshmergas and the guerilla unit dispatched to
the scene. Thanks to efforts by both sides, the
clashes were halted and the guerilla who had
been held was released. There were some slight
wounds, but no casualties have been reported.
The KADEK officials verified the presence of US
troops among the peshmerga group, and added
that the US soldiers made efforts to end the
clashes and overcome the crisis. KADEK
officials underlined that the PDK forces and
the US forces in the region were not
operational forces, and that they did not have
any problems PKK/KADEK.



2. RADIKAL: The US rebutted the news that appeared
in the Turkish press claiming that "The US and
Kurdish peshmergas exchanged prisoners with
PKK. The US announced that it still held the
PDR (Democratic Liberation Party) guerillas.
The Turkish side has been insisting that they
exchanged prisoners during the clashes on
Saturday. The Turkish officials said the Tukish
General Staff was examining the incident, and
the picture would become clearer with the
conclusion of the investigation.
REID