Cablegate: Update On Pkk Violence (October 24-31, 2008)

VZCZCXRO1549
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #1899 3081106
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031106Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7859
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//
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/425ABG IZMIR TU//CC//
RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ

UNCLAS ANKARA 001899

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: Update on PKK Violence (October 24-31, 2008)

REF: ANKARA 1878 and previous

(U) Sensitive but unclassified - please protect accordingly.

1. (SBU) This is another in a series of weekly reports on PKK
violence in Turkey. Our primary source is the Turkish General Staff
(TGS) website, which documents contacts and clashes with the PKK, as
well as casualties incurred.

2. (U) During the October 24-31, 2008 reporting period, no security
official died, though one was injured when he stepped on a landmine
in Tatvan, Bitlis Province on October 24. The total number of
security force casualties for the year through October 31, 2008, was
137 killed and 231 injured.

3. (U) During the same period, no PKK terrorist was killed, however
one was captured in Nilufer, Bursa Province in western Turkey on
October 30. Three additional PKKers surrendered, two in Silopi,
Sirnak Province and one in Semdinli, Hakkari Province. According to
official TGS website figures, through the fourth week of October,
the number of PKK militants killed this year was 640, the number of
those captured was 144, and the number of those who surrendered was
138.

4. (U) During the reporting period no civilian was killed or injured
in PKK-related incidents but the PKK kidnapped two private citizens
in Ceylanli, Hakkari Province on October 26. The total number of
civilian casualties for the year through the end of the fourth week
of October, was 45 killed, with another 245 wounded.

WILSON

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