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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002254 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (August 16-23, 2007) REF: ANKARA 2001 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) During the August 16-23, 2007 reporting period, two GOT security officials were killed during clashes with PKK terrorists. ¶3. (U) In the same period, the bodies of three PKK terrorists were found in two separate locations in Hakkari Province. Four PKKers were captured and another three surrendered. ¶4. (U) The TGS website reported one clash between security forces and PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeastern region during the reporting period. Security forces discovered 13 PKK shelters/caves/caches 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 23, PKKers set on fire a civilian vehicle in Yagizoymak, a village in Sirnak Province. ¶6. (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 August 16-23, 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 August 16-23, 2007 2 KIA, 0 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 August 1-7, 2007 14 KIA, 3 captured, 0 surrendered ANKARA 00002254 002 OF 003 August 8-15, 2007 1 KIA, 10 captured, 1 surrendered August 16-23, 2007 3 KIA, 4 captured, 3 surrendered CACHES RECOVERED May 2007 113 June 2007 50 July 2007 28 August 1-7, 2007 7 August 8-15, 2007 10 August 16-23, 2007 13 ¶7. (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 10 14 AUGUST 1-7, 2007 7 8 AUGUST 8-15, 2007 0 16 AUGUST 16-23, 2007 2 0 TOTAL 83 163 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 AUGUST 16-23, 2007 3 4 3 TOTAL 115 116 51 * Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 attack in Ankara CIVILIANS KIA WIA ANKARA 00002254 003 OF 003 JANUARY 0 0 FEBRUARY 1 0 MARCH 0 0 APRIL 1 0 MAY 14* 108* JUNE 1 1 JULY 1 3 AUGUST 1-7, 2007 1 0 AUGUST 8-15, 2007 0 1 AUGUST 16-23, 2007 0 0 TOTAL 19 115 * Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing. WILSON