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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002413 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (September 16-23, 2007) REF: ANKARA 2367 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 16-23, 2007 reporting period, one GOT security official was killed in a clash with the PKK and five more were injured, including four in explosions. ¶3. (U) In the same period, 21 PKK terrorists were killed in clashes, while five PKKers were captured. ¶4. (U) The TGS website reported 13 clashes between security forces and PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeastern region during the reporting period. Security forces discovered at least 60 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) During the reporting period, security forces reportedly discovered approximately 12 separate explosive devices planted by the PKK in the region. Most were destroyed in controlled detonations before they could be detonated by terrorists. ¶6. (U) On September 18, PKK terrorists stopped a civilian car in Semdinli, Hakkari province, which belonged to a company that provides supplies to military installations in the southeast. Terrorists planted a bomb in the vehicle, unbeknownst to the driver. TGS officials believe the bomb exploded early, killing the civilian driver and surmise that the actual target of the device was a military installation. ¶7. (U) Activity as reported by TGS website: CLASHES (NUMBER) May 2007, 40 June 2007, 40 July 2007, 15 August 2007, 12 September 1-7, 2007, 5 September 8-15, 2007, 5 September 16-23, 2007, 13 CASUALTIES Security Forces May 2007 15 KIA,52 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 September 8-15, 2007 0 KIA, 12 WIA ANKARA 00002413 002 OF 003 September 16-23, 2007 1 KIA, 5 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 surrender September 8-15, 2007 7 KIA, 4 captured, 3 surrendered September 16-23, 2007 21 KIA, 5 captured, 0 surrendered CACHES RECOVERED (NUMBER) May 2007, 113 June 2007, 50 July 2007, 28 August 2007, 40 September 1-7, 2007, 11 September 8-15, 2007, 13 September 16-23, 2007, 60 ¶7. (U) Following are the casualty figures for the 2007. TURKISH SECURITY FORCES (KIA or WIA) JANUARY 1 KIA, 2 WIA FEBRUARY 1 KIA, 0 WIA MARCH 5 KIA, 4 WIA APRIL 18 KIA, 16 WIA MAY 15 KIA, 43 WIA JUNE 24 KIA, 51 WIA JULY 10 KIA, 14 WIA AUGUST 12 KIA, 30 WIA SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2007, 0 KIA, 0 WIA SEPTEMBER 8-15, 2007,0 KIA, 12 WIA SEPTEMBER 16-23, 2007,1 KIA, 5 WIA TOTAL 87 KIA, 177 WIA PKK (KIA, Captured or surrendered) JANUARY 0 KIA, 5 captured, 3 surrendered FEBRUARY 0 KIA, 14 captured,0 surrendered MARCH 16 KIA,15 captured, 7 surrendered APRIL 16 KIA,8 captured,4 surrendered MAY 20* KIA,31 captured,3 surrendered JUNE 34 KIA,16 captured,17 surrendered JULY 11 KIA,10 captured, 13 surrendered ANKARA 00002413 003 OF 003 AUGUST 38 KIA,24 captured,7 surrendered SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2007 1 KIA,3 captured, 1 surrendered SEPTEMBER 8-15,2007 7 KIA,4 captured,3 surrendered SEPTEMBER 16-23, 2007,21 KIA, 5 captured, 0 surrendered TOTAL 164 KIA, 135 captured, 58 surrendered * Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 attack in Ankara CIVILIANS (KIA or WIA) JANUARY 0 KIA, 0 WIA FEBRUARY 1 KIA, 0 WIA MARCH 0 KIA, 0 WIA APRIL 1 KIA, 0 WIA MAY 14*KIA, 108* WIA JUNE 1 KIA, 1 WIA JULY 1 KIA, 3 WIA AUGUST 1 KIA, 1 WIA SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2007 0 KIA, 0 WIA SEPTEMBER 8 - 15, 2007 0 KIA, 0 WIA SEPTEMBER 16-23, 2007, 1 KIA, 0 WIA TOTAL 20 KIA, 113 WIA * Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing. WILSON