Update on PKK Violence (August 8-15, 2007)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002184 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (August 8-15, 2007) REF: ANKARA 2043 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 August 8-15, 2007, 16 security officials were wounded, including one in a firefight with PKK terrorists. The remaining 15 were wounded in landmine explosions. ¶3. (U) From August 8-15, 2007, one PKK terrorist was killed, ten were captured, and one surrendered. ¶4. (U) The TGS website reported one clash between security forces and PKK terrorists in southeastern Turkey during the reporting period. Security forces unearthed at least ten 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 August 10, a civilian was injured when a mine exploded on a road in Hakkari Province. ¶6. (U) On August 13, PKK set a minibus on fire at a private rock mine in Lice, Diyarbakir Province, and took away the cell phones of workers. ¶7. (U) On August 13, the PKK set three privately-owned roadworking machines on fire at a road construction site near Refahiye, Erzincan Province. ¶8. (U) Activity as reported by TGS website: CLASHES NUMBER May 2007 40 June 2007 40 July 2007 15 August 1-7, 2007 5 August 8-15, 2007 1 CASUALTIES Security Forces May 2007 15 KIA, 52 WIA June 2007 23 KIA, 51 WIA July 2007 10 KIA, 14 WIA August 1-7, 2007 7 KIA, 8 WIA August 8-15, 2007 0 KIA, 16 WIA PKK May 2007 20 KIA, 31 captured, 3 surrendered June 2007 34 KIA, 16 captured, 17 surrendered July 2007 11 KIA, 10 captured,13 surrendered ANKARA 00002184 002 OF 003 August 1-7, 2007 14 KIA, 3 captured, 0 surrendered August 8-15, 2007 1 KIA, 10 captured, 1 surrendered CACHES RECOVERED May 2007 113 June 2007 50 July 2007 28 August 1-7, 2007 7 August 8-15, 2007 10 ¶9. (U) Following are the cumulative casualty figures for 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 10 14 AUGUST 1-7, 2007 7 8 AUGUST 8-15, 2007 0 16 TOTAL 81 163 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 11 10 13 AUGUST 1-7, 2007 14 3 0 AUGUST 8-15, 2007 1 10 1 TOTAL 112 112 48 * Includes PKK suicide bomber in May 22 attack in Ankara CIVILIANS KIA WIA JANUARY 0 0 FEBRUARY 1 0 MARCH 0 0 ANKARA 00002184 003 OF 003 APRIL 1 0 MAY 14* 108* JUNE 1 1 JULY 1 3 AUGUST 1-7, 2007 1 (by the PKK) 0 AUGUST 8-15, 2007 0 1 TOTAL 19 115 * Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA in May 22 Ankara bombing. MCELDOWNEY