Update on PKK Violence (July 1-7, 2007)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001791 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (July 1-7, 2007) REF: ANKARA 1708 and previous (U) Sensitive but unclassified - please protect accordingly. ¶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. (U) From July 1 to 7, 2007, one village guard died in clashes with the PKK. During the same period four security officials, including two village guards, were wounded in action (WIA) or in IED explosions. ¶3. (U) From July 1-7, three PKK terrorists were killed in action. ¶4. (U) The TGS website reported five clashes between security forces and PKK terrorists in the region during the reporting period. Security forces unearthed at least 13 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) On July 3, PKK members seized food from a resident of Kazanpinar Village in Kelkit, Gumushane. ¶6. (U) On July 4, the PKK raided a marble mine, seizing food and 11 cell phones, and kidnapped one of the workers. ¶7. (U) Activity as reported by TGS website: CLASHES NUMBER May 2007 40 June 2007 40 July 1-7, 2007 5 CASUALTIES Security Forces May 2007 15 KIA, 52 WIA June 2007 23 KIA, 51 WIA July 1-7, 2007 1 KIA, 4 WIA PKK May 2007 20 KIA, 31 captured, 3 surrendered June 2007 34 KIA, 16 captured, 17 surrendered July 1-7, 2007 3 KIA, -- captured, -- surrendered CACHES RECOVERED May 2007 113 June 2007 50 July 1-7, 2007 13 ¶6. (U) Following are the casualty figures for the 2007. Note: We are currently updating our statistics. ANKARA 00001791 002 OF 002 TURKISH SECURITY FORCES KIA WIA JANUARY 1 2 FEBRUARY 1 0 MARCH 5 4 APRIL 18 16 MAY 15 42 JUNE 24 51 July 1-7, 2007 1 4 TOTAL 65 129 PKK KIA Captured Surrendered JANUARY -- 5 3 FEBRUARY -- 14 -- MARCH 16 15 7 APRIL 16 8 4 MAY 20* 31 3 JUNE 34 16 17 July 1-7, 2007 3 -- -- TOTAL 89 89 34 * Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 attack in Ankara CIVILIANS KIA WIA JANUARY 0 0 FEBRUARY 1 0 MARCH 0 0 APRIL 1 0 MAY 14* 108* JUNE 1 1 July 1-7, 2007 -- -- TOTAL 17 109 * Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing. WILSON