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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002313 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (September 1-7, 2007) REF: ANKARA 2255 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 September 1 - 7, 2007 reporting period, no GOT security officials was killed or injured during clashes with PKK terrorists or in mine explosions. ¶3. (U) In the same period, one PKK terrorist was killed in a clash with security forces, while three PKKers were captured and one surrendered. ¶4. (U) The TGS website reported five clashes between security forces and PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeastern region during the reporting period. Security forces discovered at least 11 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. The PKK detonated two IEDs on roads in Silopi, Sirnak Province and Cukurca, Hakkari Province on September 4 and 6, respectively. No casualties were cited in either of the incidents. ¶6. (U) Activity as reported by TGS website (which includes: CLASHES NUMBER May 2007 40 June 2007 40 July 2007 15 August 2007 12 September 1-7, 2007 5 CASUALTIES Security Forces May 2007 15 KIA, 43 WIA June 2007 23 KIA, 51 WIA July 2007 10 KIA, 14 WIA August 2007 12 KIA, 30 WIA September 1-7, 2007 0 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 2007 38 KIA, 24 captured, 7 surrendered September 1-7, 2007 1 KIA, 3 captured, 1 surrendered CACHES RECOVERED ANKARA 00002313 002 OF 003 May 2007 113 June 2007 50 July 2007 28 August 2007 40 September 1-7, 2007 11 ¶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 43 JUNE 24 51 JULY 10 14 AUGUST 12 30 SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2007 0 0 TOTAL 86 160 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 38 24 7 SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2007 1 3 1 TOTAL 136 126 55 * 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 ANKARA 00002313 003 OF 003 JULY 1 3 AUGUST 1 1 SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2007 0 0 TOTAL 19 113 * Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing. WILSON