Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
88ANKARA4266
1988-03-30 13:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
how-toR 301339Z MAR 88 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6575 INFO AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMCONSUL ADANA AMCONSUL ISTANBUL AMCONSUL IZMIR AMEMBASSY NICOSIA SECDEF WASHDC JCS WASHDC USMISSION USNATO USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD// USDOCOSOUTH NAPLES IT//INTAFF USNMR SHAPE BE//INTAFF// CINCUSAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE//POLAD//
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 04266
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PINS PTER TU
SUBJECT: PKK KILLS NINE IN SIIRT
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 04266
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PINS PTER TU
SUBJECT: PKK KILLS NINE IN SIIRT
1. (C) - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. PKK TERRORISTS KILLED NINE VILLAGERS AND 350 SHEEP IN
YAGZIKOYMAK VILLAGE IN THE URUH DISTRICT OF SOUTHEASTERN
SIIRT PROVINCE MARCH 29. THE TERRORISTS ATTACKED TWO
DIFFERENT HOUSES IN THE VILLAGE, STRANGLING FOUR MEN IN
ONE HOUSE AND THREE MORE IN ANOTHER. LATER, TERRORISTS,
PERHAPS A DIFFERENT GROUP, SHOT TWO MEN AT A HOUSE TWO
KILOMETERS AWAY. TERRORISTS ALSO EXECUTED 350 SHEEP
WITH MACHINE GUN FIRE, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. THE
SHEEP WERE IN A CAVE USED AS A SHEEPPEN AND WERE BEING
GUARDED BY SOME OF THE MURDERED VILLAGERS.
3. HURRIYET SAID THAT THE VILLAGE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN
ATTACKED BY THE PKK AND HAD VILLAGE GUARDS AS WELL AS A
POLICE STATION. HENCE, THE TERRORISTS KILLED THEIR
VICTIMS BY STRANGLING TO AVOID DETECTION.
4. AMCONSUL ADANA HAS SPOKEN WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
IN SIIRT, AND THEY CONFIRMED THE ATTACK. ADANA NOTED
THAT THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR PKK ACTION OF THE SEASON,
AFTER A LONG HIATUS CAUSED BY THE REGION'S HARSH WINTER.
5. COMMENT: THE ATTACK CAME ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE
1986 KILLING OF PKK LEADER MAHSUN KORKMAZ BY SECURITY
OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS ON THE LAST DAY OF NEVRUZ, THE NEW
YEAR HOLIDAY. IT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE FOURTH YEAR
OF THE INSURRECTION IN TURKEY'S SOUTHEAST.
6. DURING THE WINTER HIATUS, THE PKK HAD AN INTENSE
INTERNAL DEBATE ON THE THE USEFULNESS OF ITS TERRORIST
CAMPAIGN AGAINST VILLAGERS. THIS LATEST ATTACK WOULD
INDICATE THAT THE DEBATE HAS BEEN RESOLVED IN FAVOR OF
CONTINUED TERRORISM. WE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THE
TERRORISTS DID NOT TARGET WOMEN AND CHILDREN THIS TIME,
AS THEY DID IN SEVERAL OUTRAGES LAST SUMMER.
STRAUSZ-HUPE
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PINS PTER TU
SUBJECT: PKK KILLS NINE IN SIIRT
1. (C) - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. PKK TERRORISTS KILLED NINE VILLAGERS AND 350 SHEEP IN
YAGZIKOYMAK VILLAGE IN THE URUH DISTRICT OF SOUTHEASTERN
SIIRT PROVINCE MARCH 29. THE TERRORISTS ATTACKED TWO
DIFFERENT HOUSES IN THE VILLAGE, STRANGLING FOUR MEN IN
ONE HOUSE AND THREE MORE IN ANOTHER. LATER, TERRORISTS,
PERHAPS A DIFFERENT GROUP, SHOT TWO MEN AT A HOUSE TWO
KILOMETERS AWAY. TERRORISTS ALSO EXECUTED 350 SHEEP
WITH MACHINE GUN FIRE, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. THE
SHEEP WERE IN A CAVE USED AS A SHEEPPEN AND WERE BEING
GUARDED BY SOME OF THE MURDERED VILLAGERS.
3. HURRIYET SAID THAT THE VILLAGE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN
ATTACKED BY THE PKK AND HAD VILLAGE GUARDS AS WELL AS A
POLICE STATION. HENCE, THE TERRORISTS KILLED THEIR
VICTIMS BY STRANGLING TO AVOID DETECTION.
4. AMCONSUL ADANA HAS SPOKEN WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
IN SIIRT, AND THEY CONFIRMED THE ATTACK. ADANA NOTED
THAT THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR PKK ACTION OF THE SEASON,
AFTER A LONG HIATUS CAUSED BY THE REGION'S HARSH WINTER.
5. COMMENT: THE ATTACK CAME ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE
1986 KILLING OF PKK LEADER MAHSUN KORKMAZ BY SECURITY
OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS ON THE LAST DAY OF NEVRUZ, THE NEW
YEAR HOLIDAY. IT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE FOURTH YEAR
OF THE INSURRECTION IN TURKEY'S SOUTHEAST.
6. DURING THE WINTER HIATUS, THE PKK HAD AN INTENSE
INTERNAL DEBATE ON THE THE USEFULNESS OF ITS TERRORIST
CAMPAIGN AGAINST VILLAGERS. THIS LATEST ATTACK WOULD
INDICATE THAT THE DEBATE HAS BEEN RESOLVED IN FAVOR OF
CONTINUED TERRORISM. WE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THE
TERRORISTS DID NOT TARGET WOMEN AND CHILDREN THIS TIME,
AS THEY DID IN SEVERAL OUTRAGES LAST SUMMER.
STRAUSZ-HUPE