Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (August 16-23, 2007)

VZCZCXRO7460
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #2254/01 2471246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041246Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3612
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//
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002254

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (August 16-23, 2007)

REF: ANKARA 2001 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 August 16-23, 2007 reporting period, two GOT
security officials were killed during clashes with PKK terrorists.

3. (U) In the same period, the bodies of three PKK terrorists were
found in two separate locations in Hakkari Province. Four PKKers
were captured and another three surrendered.

4. (U) The TGS website reported one clash between security forces
and PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeastern region during the
reporting period. Security forces discovered 13 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) On August 23, PKKers set on fire a civilian vehicle in
Yagizoymak, a village in Sirnak Province.

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

CLASHES NUMBER

May 2007 40

June 2007 40

July 2007 15

August 1-7, 2007 5

August 8-15, 2007 1

August 16-23, 2007 1

CASUALTIES

Security Forces

May 2007 15 KIA, 52 WIA

June 2007 23 KIA, 51 WIA

July 2007 10 KIA, 14 WIA

August 1-7, 2007 7 KIA, 8 WIA

August 8-15, 2007 0 KIA, 16 WIA

August 16-23, 2007 2 KIA, 0 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 1-7, 2007 14 KIA, 3 captured, 0 surrendered

ANKARA 00002254 002 OF 003

August 8-15, 2007 1 KIA, 10 captured, 1 surrendered

August 16-23, 2007 3 KIA, 4 captured, 3 surrendered

CACHES RECOVERED

May 2007 113

June 2007 50

July 2007 28

August 1-7, 2007 7

August 8-15, 2007 10

August 16-23, 2007 13

7. (U) Following are the casualty figures for the 2007.

TURKISH SECURITY FORCES
KIA WIA

JANUARY 1 2

FEBRUARY 1 0

MARCH 5 4

APRIL 18 16

MAY 15 42

JUNE 24 51

JULY 10 14

AUGUST 1-7, 2007 7 8

AUGUST 8-15, 2007 0 16

AUGUST 16-23, 2007 2 0

TOTAL 83 163

PKK
KIA Captured Surrendered

JANUARY 0 5 3

FEBRUARY 0 14 0

MARCH 16 15 7

APRIL 16 8 4

MAY 20* 31 3

JUNE 34 16 17

JULY 11 10 13

AUGUST 1-7, 2007 14 3 0

AUGUST 8-15, 2007 1 10 1

AUGUST 16-23, 2007 3 4 3

TOTAL 115 116 51

* Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 attack in Ankara

CIVILIANS
KIA WIA

ANKARA 00002254 003 OF 003

JANUARY 0 0

FEBRUARY 1 0

MARCH 0 0

APRIL 1 0

MAY 14* 108*

JUNE 1 1

JULY 1 3

AUGUST 1-7, 2007 1 0

AUGUST 8-15, 2007 0 1

AUGUST 16-23, 2007 0 0

TOTAL 19 115

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

WILSON

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