Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (September 8-15, 2007)

VZCZCXRO1361
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #2367/01 2620459
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190459Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3783
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
RUSNNOG/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 002367

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (September 8-15, 2007)

REF: ANKARA 2313 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 8-15, 2007 reporting period, no GOT
security officials were killed but 12 were injured, including two
village guards in clashes with PKK terrorists and ten security
officials in mine/IED explosions.

3. (U) In the same period, at least six PKK terrorists were killed
in clashes, with the body of another located near the site of a
clash whose death could have been inflicted either by Turkish
security forces or by PKK forces (who have been known to execute
those trying to surrender or flee). Another four PKKers were
captured and three 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 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. Throughout the week security forces spotted around a dozen PKK
improvised explosive devices in the region and most of them were
detonated before they went off.

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

CLASHES (NUMBER)

May 2007, 40

June 2007, 40

July 2007, 15

August 2007, 12

September 1-7, 2007, 5

September 8-15, 2007, 5

CASUALTIES

Security Forces

May 2007 15 KIA, 52 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

September 8-15, 2007 0 KIA, 12 WIA

PKK

May 2007 20 KIA, 31 captured, 3 surrendered

June 2007 34 KIA, 16 captured,17 surrendered

ANKARA 00002367 002 OF 003

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
September 8-15, 2007 7 KIA, 4 captured, 3 surrendered
CACHES RECOVERED (NUMBER)

May 2007, 113

June 2007, 50

July 2007, 28

August 2007, 40

September 1-7, 2007, 11

September 8-15, 2007, 13

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

TURKISH SECURITY FORCES (KIA or WIA)

JANUARY 1 KIA, 2 WIA

FEBRUARY 1 KIA, 0 WIA

MARCH 5 KIA, 4 WIA

APRIL 18 KIA, 16 WIA

MAY 15 KIA, 43 WIA

JUNE 24 KIA, 51 WIA

JULY 10 KIA, 14 WIA

AUGUST 12 KIA, 30 WIA

SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2007, 0 KIA, 0 WIA

SEPTEMBER 8-15, 2007,0 KIA, 12 WIA

TOTAL 86 KIA, 172 WIA

PKK (KIA, Captured or surrendered)

JANUARY 0 KIA, 5 captured, 3 surrendered

FEBRUARY 0 KIA, 14 captured,0 surrendered

MARCH 16 KIA,15 captured, 7 surrendered

APRIL 16 KIA,8 captured,4 surrendered

MAY 20* KIA,31 captured,3 surrendered

JUNE 34 KIA,16 captured,17 surrendered

JULY 11 KIA,10 captured, 13 surrendered

AUGUST 38 KIA,24 captured,7 surrendered

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

SEPTEMBER 8-15,2007 7 KIA, 4 captured, 3 surrendered

TOTAL 143 KIA, 130 captured, 58 surrendered

* Includes PKK suicide bomber from May 22 attack in Ankara

CIVILIANS (KIA or WIA)

JANUARY 0 KIA, 0 WIA

ANKARA 00002367 003 OF 003

FEBRUARY 1 KIA, 0 WIA

MARCH 0 KIA, 0 WIA

APRIL 1 KIA, 0 WIA

MAY 14*KIA, 108* WIA

JUNE 1 KIA, 1 WIA

JULY 1 KIA, 3 WIA

AUGUST 1 KIA, 1 WIA

SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2007 0 KIA, 0 WIA

SEPTEMBER 8 - 15, 2007 0 KIA, 0 WIA

TOTAL 19 KIA, 113 WIA

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

WILSON

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