Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA1427
2007-06-07 07:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
UPDATE ON PKK VIOLENCE (MAY 16-31, 2007)
how-toVZCZCXRO8112 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHAK #1427/01 1580756 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 070756Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2462 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// RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RHMFISS/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001427
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017
TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON PKK VIOLENCE (MAY 16-31, 2007)
REF: ANKARA 1230 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001427
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017
TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON PKK VIOLENCE (MAY 16-31, 2007)
REF: ANKARA 1230 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (SBU) This is another in a series of periodic reports on
PKK violence in Turkey. Our primary sources for these
reports are mainstream Turkish press services, such as the
Anatolian News Agency, and international wire services.
While these are more reliable than most Turkish press
sources, they are not necessarily unimpeachable. A major
source is the Turkish General Staff (TGS) website which
documents contacts/clashes with the PKK. Press services
sympathetic to the PKK, such as Neu-Isenburg People's Defense
Forces and Firat News Agency, tend to report higher numbers
of the Turkish Security Forces casualties and are often
otherwise unreliable.
2. (C) In the second half of May 2007, nine security
personnel died and 23 were wounded in PKK-related violence.
During the same period, five civilians died and another eight
were injured. Four of these deaths and another four injuries
were forest workers on whom the PKK opened fire. The PKK
also kidnapped two civilians. In addition, Turkish police
told us that they assess that the suicide bombing of a
popular market in downtown Ankara, in which six were killed
and over 100 wounded, was likely the work of the PKK.
3. (U) In the second half of May the body of one PKK
terrorist was found during Turkish counterinsurgency
operations. Authorities arrested 26 PKK-ers, including one
who was turned over by Syrian officials.
4. (U) The TGS website reported 20 clashes between security
forces and PKK terrorists in the region. Security forces
unearthed dozens of PKK shelters and caves and seized
booby-trapped land mines; other explosives, including A-4 and
TNT; Kalashnikov rifles; cartridges; hand grenades; pistols;
night vision binoculars; TV sets; satellite antennas; and
radios.
5. (U) STATISTICS
CLASHES
April 2007 38 clashes
May 2007 40 clashes
May 1-15 20 clashes
May 16-31 20 clashes
CASUALTIES
Security Forces
April 2007 18 KIA, 16 WIA
May 2007 15 KIA, 42 WIA
May 1-15 6 KIA, 19 WIA
May 16-31 9 KIA, 23 KIA
PKK
April 2007 2 KIA, 47 captured
May 2007 2 KIA, 53 captured
May 1-15 0 KIA, 27 captured
May 16-31 2 KIA, 26 captured
CACHES RECOVERED
April 2007 109
May 2007 113
May 1-15 76
May 16-31 37
6. (U) Following are casualty figures for 2007 to date:
SECURITY FORCES KIA WIA
ANKARA 00001427 002 OF 002
January 1 2
February 1 0
March 5 4
April 18 16
May 15 42
TOTAL 40 74
CIVILIANS KIA WIA
January 0 0
February 1 0
March 0 0
April 1 0
May 11* 108*
TOTAL 13 108
* Includes 6 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing.
PKK KIA CAPTURED
January 5 11
February 0 8
March 9 18
April 2 47
May 2* 53
TOTAL 17 137
* Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 Ankara attack.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017
TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON PKK VIOLENCE (MAY 16-31, 2007)
REF: ANKARA 1230 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (SBU) This is another in a series of periodic reports on
PKK violence in Turkey. Our primary sources for these
reports are mainstream Turkish press services, such as the
Anatolian News Agency, and international wire services.
While these are more reliable than most Turkish press
sources, they are not necessarily unimpeachable. A major
source is the Turkish General Staff (TGS) website which
documents contacts/clashes with the PKK. Press services
sympathetic to the PKK, such as Neu-Isenburg People's Defense
Forces and Firat News Agency, tend to report higher numbers
of the Turkish Security Forces casualties and are often
otherwise unreliable.
2. (C) In the second half of May 2007, nine security
personnel died and 23 were wounded in PKK-related violence.
During the same period, five civilians died and another eight
were injured. Four of these deaths and another four injuries
were forest workers on whom the PKK opened fire. The PKK
also kidnapped two civilians. In addition, Turkish police
told us that they assess that the suicide bombing of a
popular market in downtown Ankara, in which six were killed
and over 100 wounded, was likely the work of the PKK.
3. (U) In the second half of May the body of one PKK
terrorist was found during Turkish counterinsurgency
operations. Authorities arrested 26 PKK-ers, including one
who was turned over by Syrian officials.
4. (U) The TGS website reported 20 clashes between security
forces and PKK terrorists in the region. Security forces
unearthed dozens of PKK shelters and caves and seized
booby-trapped land mines; other explosives, including A-4 and
TNT; Kalashnikov rifles; cartridges; hand grenades; pistols;
night vision binoculars; TV sets; satellite antennas; and
radios.
5. (U) STATISTICS
CLASHES
April 2007 38 clashes
May 2007 40 clashes
May 1-15 20 clashes
May 16-31 20 clashes
CASUALTIES
Security Forces
April 2007 18 KIA, 16 WIA
May 2007 15 KIA, 42 WIA
May 1-15 6 KIA, 19 WIA
May 16-31 9 KIA, 23 KIA
PKK
April 2007 2 KIA, 47 captured
May 2007 2 KIA, 53 captured
May 1-15 0 KIA, 27 captured
May 16-31 2 KIA, 26 captured
CACHES RECOVERED
April 2007 109
May 2007 113
May 1-15 76
May 16-31 37
6. (U) Following are casualty figures for 2007 to date:
SECURITY FORCES KIA WIA
ANKARA 00001427 002 OF 002
January 1 2
February 1 0
March 5 4
April 18 16
May 15 42
TOTAL 40 74
CIVILIANS KIA WIA
January 0 0
February 1 0
March 0 0
April 1 0
May 11* 108*
TOTAL 13 108
* Includes 6 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing.
PKK KIA CAPTURED
January 5 11
February 0 8
March 9 18
April 2 47
May 2* 53
TOTAL 17 137
* Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 Ankara attack.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON