Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (July 1-7, 2007)

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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131127Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2956
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5//
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC//
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RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001791

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (July 1-7, 2007)

REF: ANKARA 1708 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) From July 1 to 7, 2007, one village guard died in clashes
with the PKK. During the same period four security officials,
including two village guards, were wounded in action (WIA) or in IED
explosions.

3. (U) From July 1-7, three PKK terrorists were killed in action.

4. (U) The TGS website reported five clashes between security forces
and PKK terrorists in the region during the reporting period.
Security forces unearthed at least 13 PKK shelters and caves 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) On July 3, PKK members seized food from a resident of
Kazanpinar Village in Kelkit, Gumushane.

6. (U) On July 4, the PKK raided a marble mine, seizing food and 11
cell phones, and kidnapped one of the workers.

7. (U) Activity as reported by TGS website:

CLASHES NUMBER

May 2007 40

June 2007 40

July 1-7, 2007 5

CASUALTIES

Security Forces

May 2007 15 KIA, 52 WIA

June 2007 23 KIA, 51 WIA

July 1-7, 2007 1 KIA, 4 WIA

PKK

May 2007 20 KIA, 31 captured, 3 surrendered

June 2007 34 KIA, 16 captured, 17 surrendered

July 1-7, 2007 3 KIA, -- captured, -- surrendered

CACHES RECOVERED

May 2007 113

June 2007 50

July 1-7, 2007 13

6. (U) Following are the casualty figures for the 2007. Note: We
are currently updating our statistics.

ANKARA 00001791 002 OF 002

TURKISH SECURITY FORCES
KIA WIA

JANUARY 1 2

FEBRUARY 1 0

MARCH 5 4

APRIL 18 16

MAY 15 42

JUNE 24 51

July 1-7, 2007 1 4

TOTAL 65 129

PKK
KIA Captured Surrendered

JANUARY -- 5 3

FEBRUARY -- 14 --

MARCH 16 15 7

APRIL 16 8 4

MAY 20* 31 3

JUNE 34 16 17

July 1-7, 2007 3 -- --

TOTAL 89 89 34

* 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

July 1-7, 2007 -- --

TOTAL 17 109

* Includes 9 KIA and 100 WIA from May 22 Ankara bombing.

WILSON

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