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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005125 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER TU IZ
SUBJECT: TURKEY: PKK VIOLENCE REPORT, NINE TURKISH FORCES 
DEAD 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 4999 AND PREVIOUS 
 
     ¶B. ANKARA 5010 
     ¶C. ANKARA 5097 
 
¶1. (SBU) This is another in a series of periodic reports on 
PKK violence in Turkey (ref a).  Our primary sources for 
tese reports are mainstream Turkish press services, such as 
the Anatolian News Agency, and nternational wire services. 
While these sources are more reliable than most Turkish press 
sources, they are not necessarily unimpeachable.  Press 
services sympathetic to the PKK, such as Neu-Isenburg 
People's Defense Forces and Firat News Agency, tend to report 
higher numbers of Turkish Security Forces casualties. 
 
¶2. (U) Summary. Two bombings and a string of probable 
PKK-linked attacks occurred over the August 29 - September 3 
period, killing nine Turkish security personnel and wounding 
seven.  During that same period, one civilian was killed and 
fifteen were wounded; and two alleged PKK members were killed 
and thirty-two were arrested.  A woodcutter kidnapped in the 
eastern province of Bingol on August 25 was released by the 
PKK on August 29 (ref a).  In addition, Turkish forces seized 
2.5 kg of plastic explosives, additional weapons, and cash. 
During the past week, press reports of Turkish cross-border 
artillery fire could not be confirmed.  End Summary. 
 
¶3. (U) One person was injured after an explosion occurred in 
a dumpster in the Mediterranean port city of Mersin on August 
30, the Victory Day holiday celebrating the end of Turkey's 
war of independence in 1922 (ref b).  No organization claimed 
responsibility for the attack; however, one person, dressed 
as a sanitation worker, was arrested in connection with the 
blast.  On September 3, a remotely-detonated blast, 
originating from a garbage container, occurred in Van 
province at an open teahouse frequented by civil service 
employees, killing two (one police officer and one civilian) 
and injuring fourteen civilians (ref c). 
 
¶4. (U) A string of separate attacks on Turkish forces 
occurred in Sirnak, Hakkari, Van, and Diyarbakir from 
September 1 - 3, killing eight soldiers and wounding six 
others.  On September 2, a private who allegedly informed the 
PKK on the position of Turkish Forces to facilitate the 
Hakkari attack became absent without leave and was arrested. 
One soldier among these eight fatalities was killed by fire 
reportedly opened from the Iranian side of the Turkey-Iran 
border on September 2; although Turkish authorities believe 
the PKK was responsible, they also held talks with Iranian 
officials regarding the incident.  Additionally, one soldier 
was wounded during an attack by the PKK on police and 
military lodgings in Van on August 30. 
 
¶5. (U) Among thirty-two suspects arrested during the period 
were three people alleged to have aided an individual 
planning a bombing in Izmir in parallel with the recent 
attacks on Adana, Istanbul, Marmaris, and Antalya (ref a). 
Police reportedly seized 2.5 kg of plastic explosives, 2 
detonator caps, and other bomb-making equipment in 
conjunction with this arrest.  Equipment police seized during 
other arrests included 2 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 4 hand 
grenades, 5,650 Kalashnikov rounds, hundreds of kilos of food 
supplies, organizational documents, two fake IDs, and cash 
totaling over 1000 USD. 
 
¶6. (U) Continued press reports of alleged Turkish cross 
border operations, including artillery fire, could not be 
confirmed. 
 
¶7. (U) We estimate that so far in 2006, approximately 
twenty-nine civilians and up to 205 members of the Turkish 
Security Forces have perished as a result of PKK violence. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
 
ANKARA 00005125  002 OF 002 
 
 
WILSON