Update on PKK Violence (April 8-15, 2008)

UNCLAS ANKARA 000724 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (April 8-15, 2008) REF: ANKARA 695 and previous (U) Sensitive but unclassified - please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) This is another in a series of weekly reports on PKK-related violence in Turkey. Our primary source is the Turkish General Staff (TGS) website, which documents contacts and clashes with the PKK, as well as casualties incurred. ¶2. (U) During the April 8-15, 2008 reporting period, two security officials, one a village guard, were injured in clashes with the PKK. The total number of security force casualties for the year through April 15, 2008 was 24 killed and 28 injured. ¶3. (U) During the same period, 14 PKK terrorists were killed, three were captured, and six surrendered. According to official TGS website figures, through the second week of April, the number of PKK militants killed this year was 307, the number of those captured was 83, and the number of those who surrendered was 49. ¶4. (U) Another of the demonstrators who was injured during the March 21-23 Nevruz celebrations died on April 11. That brought civilian casualties for the year through the end of the second week of April to 11 killed, with another 49 wounded. WILSON