Update on PKK Violence (July 16-23, 2007)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001909 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (July 16-23, 2007) REF: ANKARA 1840 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 16-23, 2007, four security officials were killed, including two killed in action (KIA) and two in IED explosions. Six security officials were wounded in action (WIA) due to an IED explosion. ¶3. (U) During this same period, three PKK terrorists were killed in action, seven were captured, and three surrendered. ¶4. (U) The TGS website reported two clashes between security forces and PKK terrorists in southeastern Turkey during the reporting period. Security forces unearthed at least seven PKK shelters/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 17, a group of PKKers raided a marble mine in Hani, Diyarbakir Province and took cell phones and other belongings of the workers. ¶6. (U) On July 23, a civilian was injured when ammunition belonging to the PKK and abandoned in a field in Guclukonak, Sirnak Province, was accidentally detonated. ¶7. (U) Activity as reported by TGS website: CLASHES NUMBER May 2007 40 June 2007 40 July 1-7, 2007 5 July 8-16, 2007 3 July 16-23, 2007 2 CASUALTIES Security Forces May 2007 15 KIA, 52 WIA June 2007 23 KIA, 51 WIA July 1-7, 2007 1 KIA, 4 WIA July 8-16, 2007 3 KIA, 0 WIA July 16-23, 2007 4 KIA, 6 WIA PKK May 2007 20 KIA, 31 captured, 3 surrendered June 2007 34 KIA, 16 captured, 17 surrendered July 1-7, 2007 3 KIA, 0 captured, 0 surrendered July 8-16, 2007 3 KIA, 3 captured, 4 surrendered ANKARA 00001909 002 OF 003 July 16-23, 2007 3 KIA, 7 captured, 3 surrendered CACHES RECOVERED May 2007 113 June 2007 50 July 1-7, 2007 13 July 8-16, 2007 8 July 16-23, 2007 2 ¶8. (U) Following are the casualty figures for the 2007. 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 July 8-16, 2007 3 0 July 16-23, 2007 4 6 TOTAL 72 135 PKK KIA Captured Surrendered JANUARY 0 5 3 FEBRUARY 0 14 0 MARCH 16 15 7 APRIL 16 8 4 MAY 20* 31 3 JUNE 34 16 17 July 1-7, 2007 3 0 0 July 8-16, 2007 3 3 4 July 16-23, 2007 3 7 3 TOTAL 95 99 41 * 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 ANKARA 00001909 003 OF 003 MAY 14* 108* JUNE 1 1 July 1-7, 2007 0 0 July 8-16, 2007 0 1 July 16-23, 2007 0 1 TOTAL 17 111 * Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing. WILSON