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

VZCZCXRO3812
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #2313/01 2541028
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111028Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3699
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 002313

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

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

REF: ANKARA 2255 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 September 1 - 7, 2007 reporting period, no GOT
security officials was killed or injured during clashes with PKK
terrorists or in mine explosions.

3. (U) In the same period, one PKK terrorist was killed in a clash
with security forces, while three PKKers were captured and one
surrendered.

4. (U) The TGS website reported five clashes between security forces
and PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeastern region during the
reporting period. Security forces discovered at least 11 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. The PKK detonated two IEDs on roads in Silopi, Sirnak Province
and Cukurca, Hakkari Province on September 4 and 6, respectively.
No casualties were cited in either of the incidents.

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

CLASHES NUMBER

May 2007 40

June 2007 40

July 2007 15

August 2007 12

September 1-7, 2007 5

CASUALTIES

Security Forces

May 2007 15 KIA, 43 WIA

June 2007 23 KIA, 51 WIA

July 2007 10 KIA, 14 WIA

August 2007 12 KIA, 30 WIA

September 1-7, 2007 0 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 2007 38 KIA, 24 captured, 7 surrendered

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

CACHES RECOVERED

ANKARA 00002313 002 OF 003

May 2007 113

June 2007 50

July 2007 28

August 2007 40

September 1-7, 2007 11

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 43

JUNE 24 51

JULY 10 14

AUGUST 12 30

SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2007 0 0

TOTAL 86 160

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 38 24 7

SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2007 1 3 1

TOTAL 136 126 55

* 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

ANKARA 00002313 003 OF 003

JULY 1 3

AUGUST 1 1

SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2007 0 0

TOTAL 19 113

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

WILSON

© Scoop Media