TURKEY: PKK VIOLENCE REPORT, NINE TURKISH FORCES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005125 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER TU IZ SUBJECT: TURKEY: PKK VIOLENCE REPORT, NINE TURKISH FORCES DEAD REF: A. ANKARA 4999 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. ANKARA 5010 ¶C. ANKARA 5097 ¶1. (SBU) This is another in a series of periodic reports on PKK violence in Turkey (ref a). Our primary sources for tese reports are mainstream Turkish press services, such as the Anatolian News Agency, and nternational wire services. While these sources are more reliable than most Turkish press sources, they are not necessarily unimpeachable. Press services sympathetic to the PKK, such as Neu-Isenburg People's Defense Forces and Firat News Agency, tend to report higher numbers of Turkish Security Forces casualties. ¶2. (U) Summary. Two bombings and a string of probable PKK-linked attacks occurred over the August 29 - September 3 period, killing nine Turkish security personnel and wounding seven. During that same period, one civilian was killed and fifteen were wounded; and two alleged PKK members were killed and thirty-two were arrested. A woodcutter kidnapped in the eastern province of Bingol on August 25 was released by the PKK on August 29 (ref a). In addition, Turkish forces seized 2.5 kg of plastic explosives, additional weapons, and cash. During the past week, press reports of Turkish cross-border artillery fire could not be confirmed. End Summary. ¶3. (U) One person was injured after an explosion occurred in a dumpster in the Mediterranean port city of Mersin on August 30, the Victory Day holiday celebrating the end of Turkey's war of independence in 1922 (ref b). No organization claimed responsibility for the attack; however, one person, dressed as a sanitation worker, was arrested in connection with the blast. On September 3, a remotely-detonated blast, originating from a garbage container, occurred in Van province at an open teahouse frequented by civil service employees, killing two (one police officer and one civilian) and injuring fourteen civilians (ref c). ¶4. (U) A string of separate attacks on Turkish forces occurred in Sirnak, Hakkari, Van, and Diyarbakir from September 1 - 3, killing eight soldiers and wounding six others. On September 2, a private who allegedly informed the PKK on the position of Turkish Forces to facilitate the Hakkari attack became absent without leave and was arrested. One soldier among these eight fatalities was killed by fire reportedly opened from the Iranian side of the Turkey-Iran border on September 2; although Turkish authorities believe the PKK was responsible, they also held talks with Iranian officials regarding the incident. Additionally, one soldier was wounded during an attack by the PKK on police and military lodgings in Van on August 30. ¶5. (U) Among thirty-two suspects arrested during the period were three people alleged to have aided an individual planning a bombing in Izmir in parallel with the recent attacks on Adana, Istanbul, Marmaris, and Antalya (ref a). Police reportedly seized 2.5 kg of plastic explosives, 2 detonator caps, and other bomb-making equipment in conjunction with this arrest. Equipment police seized during other arrests included 2 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 4 hand grenades, 5,650 Kalashnikov rounds, hundreds of kilos of food supplies, organizational documents, two fake IDs, and cash totaling over 1000 USD. ¶6. (U) Continued press reports of alleged Turkish cross border operations, including artillery fire, could not be confirmed. ¶7. (U) We estimate that so far in 2006, approximately twenty-nine civilians and up to 205 members of the Turkish Security Forces have perished as a result of PKK violence. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ ANKARA 00005125 002 OF 002 WILSON