PKK VIOLENCE: PRESS REPORTS 12 TURKISH SECURITY

UNCLAS ANKARA 003269 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER MOPS PREL TU IZ IR SUBJECT: PKK VIOLENCE: PRESS REPORTS 12 TURKISH SECURITY FORCES KILLED OVER PAST TWO WEEKS REF: ANKARA 2903 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. According to press reports -- many of them supplemented by television coverage of soldiers' funerals -- 12 members of the Turkish security forces were killed in incidents of PKK violence over the two-week period of May 22 through June 4. These reports also claim 23 security forces were WIA. Eight PKK terrorists were KIA, and five were either captured or surrendered to Turkish authorities. In separate incidents, two children stepped on mines which the PKK planted -- one was severely injured, one lightly wounded. Another report claimed a PKK bomb damaged a natural gas pipeline operated by the Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS) in the eastern province of Agri. ¶2. Many of these incidents occurred in the southeastern province of Sirnak, though others were also reported from the eastern provinces of Bingol, Agri, Kars, Van, Diyarbakir, and Elazig. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON