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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002521 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (October 1 - 7, 2007) REF: ANKARA 002445 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 October 1-7, 2007 reporting period, 15 GOT security officials were killed. Ten security officials were injured, including three in explosions. ¶3. (U) In the same period, four PKK terrorists were killed, including one PKKer found dead in a field. Four PKKers were captured. ¶4. (U) The TGS website reported nine clashes between security forces and PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeastern region during the reporting period. Security forces discovered at least 24 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. Throughout the week security forces spotted seven PKK explosives in the region, most of which were detonated in a controlled environment. ¶6. (U) Activity as reported by TGS website: CLASHES (NUMBER) May 2007, 40 June 2007, 40 July 2007, 15 August 2007, 12 September 2007, 35 October 1-7, 9 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 2007 12 KIA, 32 WIA October 1-7, 2007 15 KIA, 10 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 ANKARA 00002521 002 OF 003 September 2007 40 KIA, 15 captured, 9 surrendered October 1-7 4 KIA, 4 captured, 0 surrendered CACHES RECOVERED (NUMBER) May 2007, 113 June 2007, 50 July 2007, 28 August 2007, 40 September 2007, 119 October 1-7,2007, 24 ¶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 12 KIA, 32 WIA OCTOBER 15 KIA, 10 WIA TOTAL 113 KIA, 202 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 AUGUST 38 KIA,24 captured,7 surrendered SEPTEMBER 40 KIA, 15 captured,9 surrendered OCTOBER 1-7 4 KIA, 4 captured, 0 surrendered TOTAL 179 KIA, 142 captured, 63 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 ANKARA 00002521 003 OF 003 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 7 KIA, 1 WIA OCTOBER 1-7 0 KIA, 0 WIA TOTAL 26 KIA, 114 WIA * Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from the May 22 Ankara bombing. WILSON