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Viewing cable 09ADANA70, SE TURKEY SECURITY INCIDENTS: NOVEMBER 2-8, 2009

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09ADANA70 2009-11-09 13:55 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Adana
VZCZCXRO3262
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0070/01 3131355
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091355Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4798
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1340
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1107
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1407
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADANA 000070 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/EUR, DS/IP/ITA, INR AND EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PTER PINR CASC TU
SUBJECT: SE TURKEY SECURITY INCIDENTS: NOVEMBER 2-8, 2009 
 
1. The following security incidents for the period of November 
2-8, 2009, were compiled by the security assistant at Consulate 
Adana from RSO sources, to include Turkish security contacts, 
government officials and media.  RSO uses the information to 
determine the security situation and trends of violence and 
crime throughout Turkey. The RSO shares the information with the 
Country Team and Visas Viper coordinator. 
 
2. Military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party 
(PKK) as reported by the Turkish General Staff: 
 
A. Weapons, ammunition, and equipment seized: 
 
Bingol - 11.07.09: 75 kilograms of food and various logistical 
equipment. 
 
Bitlis - 11.07.09: 1 Kalashnikov, 22 rounds of Kalashnikov 
ammunition, 1 wireless radio, and 1 pair of binoculars. 
 
Bitlis - 11.06.09: 1 anti-personnel landmine destroyed on site. 
 
Diyarbakir - 11.05.09: 1 Kalashnikov and 231 rounds of 
ammunition. 
 
Hakkari - 11.05.09: 10 kilograms of ammonium nitrate and various 
materials used for making an IED. 
 
Bitlis - 11.05.09: 2 corpses belonging to PKK members, 1 
Kalashnikov rifle, 5 magazines, 150 kilograms of food, and 
various logistical equipment. 
 
Sirnak - 11.05.09: A PKK IED exploded in a drain pipe under a 
road; no injury reported. 
 
Sirnak - 11.05.09: 3 rounds of RPG-7 ammunition, 1 Kalashnikov 
and some pieces of G-3 rifles. 
 
Sirnak - 11.04.09: 3 rounds of mortar ammunition destroyed on 
site. 
 
Siirt - 11.05.09: 1 booby-trapped IED destroyed on site. 
 
Kahramanmaras - 11.04.09: 1 flame thrower, 155 rounds of 
Kalashnikov ammunition, 40 rounds of M-16 ammunition, 1 pair of 
binoculars and 90 centimeters of time fuse. 
 
Kahramanmaras - 11.01.09: 50 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, 225 
kilograms of food, various logistical and medical equipment. 
 
Kahramanmaras - 11.01.09: 4 hand-made landmines, 55 kilograms of 
ammonium nitrate, 100 meters of fuse, 179 rounds of M-16 
ammunition, 8 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, 1 pair of night-vision 
goggles, 1 video recorder, 191 kilograms of food, and various 
logistical equipment. 
 
B. PKK members captured or surrendered: 
 
11.02.09 through 11.08.09: A total of 7 PKK members were 
captured: 2 dead, 2 alive and 3 surrendered. 
 
Van - 11.04.09: Security forces caught 1 PKK member. 
 
C. PKK attacks: 
 
Hatay - 11.05.09: PKK attacked a military patrol team; no injury 
reported. Anti-PKK operations continue in the mountainous 
terrain of Hassa District. 
3. Media reports related to PKK and pro-Kurdish organizations: 
 
A. Anti-PKK operations: 
 
Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) anti-PKK operations in SE Turkey 
continue.  Many armored vehicles, military personnel and 
ammunition deployed to operation areas in Mus, Bingol, Bitlis, 
Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Hatay, Kahramanmaras and Sirnak. 
 
N. Iraq - 11.07.09 and 11.05.09: TAF artillery teams bombed the 
Zap Region. 
 
Sirnak - 11.06.09: TAF ended its operation on Mount Cudi. 
 
B. Arrests: 
 
Sirnak - 11.08.09: Security forces detained 3 people on the 
suspicion of terrorism. 
 
Hakkari - 11.05.09: DTP mayor and deputy mayor of Cukurca are on 
trial on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." 
 
Bitlis - 11.05.09: Security forces detained 5 people on the 
 
ADANA 00000070  002 OF 004 
 
 
charge of "chanting illegal slogans in favor of the PKK." 
 
Diyarbakir - 11.05.09: 3 people were sentenced to 3 years in 
prison on the charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." 
 
Bitlis - 11.04.09: Security forces stormed a house and detained 
5 people, including DTP members and officials, on the suspicion 
of terrorism. 
 
Diyarbakir - 11.04.09: Security forces detained 5 people on the 
suspicion of terrorism. 
 
Hakkari - 11.04.09: DTP Mayor of Hakkari is on trial on the 
charge of "making propaganda for the PKK." 
 
Hatay - 11.03.09: 2 people, who joined in arson attacks, were 
arrested on the charge of "violating restrictions on marches and 
demonstrations." 
 
Sanliurfa - 11.03.09: 6 people were sentenced to a cumulative 
total of 60 months in prison on the charges of "violating 
restrictions on marches and demonstrations," and "chanting 
illegal slogans in favor of the PKK." 
 
Diyarbakir - 11.03.09: DTP former mayor of Silvan and a former 
DTP administrator were sentenced to 2 years in prison on the 
charge of "making propaganda for the PKK". 
 
Sanliurfa - 11.03.09: A person who joined in a DTP march marking 
Ocalan's birthday was sentenced to 11 years in prison on the 
charge of "carrying out illegal actions on behalf of the PKK". 
 
Diyarbakir - 11.03.09: 3 PKK members who surrendered to Turkish 
authorities have applied for benefits under the repentance law. 
The 3 PKK members are expected to be freed. 
 
Tunceli and Agri - 11.02.09: 3 of 7 people who were recently 
detained in an anti-PKK operation were arrested on the charge of 
"being members of an armed terror organization." The other 4 
people were released. 
 
C. Other media stories about PKK: 
 
Hakkari - 11.05.09 and 11.07.09: Security forces intervened with 
tear gas, sticks and pressurized water against demonstrators who 
were chanting slogans in favor of PKK and Ocalan. PKK supporters 
responded with stones. No injuries or arrests were reported. 
 
N. Iraq - 11.08.09: Pro-PKK news channel ANF reported that a HPG 
(People Defense Force) guerilla was killed in TAF's mortar 
strike held on October 24 and 25 in the Zagros District. 
 
Siirt - 11.07.09: 2 soldiers were injured when a military 
helicopter crashed. An investigation and anti-PKK operation were 
launched. 
 
Hakkari - 11.07.09: Almost 3000 people gathered for DTP's 
anti-racism march. Approximately 30 - 40 PKK supporters stoned 
police surveillance cameras (MOBESE) after the march. Police 
intervened with tear gas and batons. No injuries or arrests were 
reported. 
 
Hatay - 11.07.09: Members of the anti-PKK group Families of 
Martyrs held a march to protest terrorism and chanted slogans 
against the PKK. 
 
N. Iraq - 11.07.09: Pro-PKK news channel ANF reported that 46 
new HPG (People's Defense Force) members have graduated from 
training camps and joined the PKK. 
 
11.07.09: Pro-PKK news channel ANF reported that 40-50 more PKK 
members will surrender discreetly from the camps in Kandil and 
Mahmur. 
 
Bitlis - 11.06.09: Clashes erupted between security forces and 
relatives of a killed PKK member who wanted to take the body of 
their relative from the morgue. Police intervened with tear gas 
and batons when demonstrators started to chant slogans in favor 
of PKK and Ocalan. 
 
Hakkari - 11.05.09: Security forces intervened with tear gas, 
batons and pressurized water at a demonstration in favor of PKK 
and Ocalan. Protestors responded with stones. No injuries or 
arrests were reported. 
 
11.04.09: A group of PKK members raided a wedding in a village 
near Turkey's border with Iran. 2 PKK members died, including 
the group's leader. The groom also died and four children were 
injured. Security teams have launched an operation to catch 
those involved. 
 
ADANA 00000070  003 OF 004 
 
 
 
11.04.09: The PKK has been facing heavy losses in operations 
conducted by the Turkish, Iranian and Syrian armies. It was 
reported that at least 12 PKK or PJAK members, including the 
head of PKK in Erzurum, were killed in joint operations 
conducted by Turkish and Iranian forces. It was also reported 
that 5 PKK members, including a woman, surrendered to Turkish 
security officials. 
 
Bingol - 11.03.09: New mass graveyard was found. It was reported 
that there were 12 people, including 4 civilians and 8 HPG/PKK 
(People Defense Force) members in the graveyard. 
 
4. Media reports on significant crime or security incidents: 
 
Van - 11.08.09: 4 people were killed and 8 wounded in a 
firefight between 2 families, including that of a village guard. 
 
Diyarbakir - 11.08.09: The deaths of four people by village 
guards earlier this week has brought the village guard system 
into the spotlight. Village guards, who are given weapons by the 
state to protect their villages against terrorists, have killed 
235 civilians and injured 189 others within the past 19 years, 
according to data from the Human Rights Association (IHD). 
 
Mersin - 11.08.09: Almost 5,000 people, including DTP and 
pro-Kurdish YDG-M (Patriotic Democratic Youth Movement) members 
and officials, protested criminal gangs. 
 
Batman - 11.08.09: Security forces detained 156 people suspected 
of stealing electricity for home use. 
 
11.07.09: Statistics indicate that the number of women murdered 
in Turkey has drastically increased in the past seven years. 
According to the Ministry of Justice: 66 women were killed in 
2002, 83 in 2003, 164 in 2004, 317 in 2005, 663 in 2006, 1,011 
in 2007, 806 in 2008, and 953 in the first half of 2009. 12,678 
criminal cases were launched in connection with violence against 
women and domestic violence between 2002 and July 2009. 15,564 
people were brought to trial in these cases and 5,736 were 
convicted. 
There were 1,859 defendants acquitted of charges, while 794 were 
released on parole. 
 
Adiyaman - 11.07.09: A sound bomb exploded around midnight on 
the side of a road in Saritut Parish. No injuries reported. 
 
11.07.09: Guler Zere, a 37-year-old convicted cancer patient, 
arrived in Istanbul on Saturday night a few days after President 
Abdullah Gul pardoned her and one year after she applied for 
reprieve. A militant of an illegal far-left organization, Zere 
served 14 years of a 34-year sentence. She was diagnosed with 
oral cancer last year. 
 
Mersin - 11.05.09: Security forces detained 3 people in an 
anti-organized crime operation. 
 
Mersin and Diyarbakir - 11.05.09: Students protested YOK (Higher 
Education Council). 
 
Adana - 11.03.09: Passersby discovered the corpse of a man who 
died from unnatural causes. An investigation is ongoing. 
 
Van - 11.03.09: Security forces seized 2 Kalashnikovs, 4 
magazines and lots of ammunitions. 1 person was arrested in the 
operation. 
 
Mersin, Diyarbakir, Bitlis and Malatya - 11.03.09: Security 
forces detained 31 people in anti organized-crime operations. 
 
Adana - 11.03.09: Unidentified people set a vehicle on fire in 
Sariyakup Parish. 
 
Malatya - 11.03.09: Members of the ESP (Socialist Platform of 
Oppressed) gathered to demand the release of Guler Zere, an 
imprisoned member of the outlawed Revolutionary People's 
Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C). 
 
5. Illegal immigrant arrests: 
 
10.12.09 through 10.15.09: Security forces captured and deported 
338 illegal immigrants from: Balikesir Yalova, Aegean Coast, 
Van, Bitlis, Hakkari, Sanliurfa, Aydin, Edirne, Canakkale, 
Mugla, Agri, Igdir, Hatay, Erzurum, Adana, Sirnak and the 
borders of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Greece. 
 
6. Counter-narcotic operations: 
 
Van - 11.03.09: Security forces seized 137 kilograms of hashish 
and arrested 1 person. 
 
ADANA 00000070  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
Van - 11.01.09: Security forces seized 20 kilograms of hashish 
and detained 1 person. 
 
Diyarbakir - 11.02.09: Security forces seized 520 kilograms of 
hashish and arrested 26 people in operations conducted over the 
past 2 weeks. 
 
Van - October 2009: Security forces seized 700 kilograms of 
hashish and arrested 16 people. 
 
01.01.09 through 10.30.09: Gendarme forces confiscated 44 
kilograms of poppy gum; 1,890 kilograms of heroin; 2,034,311 
seeds of cannabis; 805 kilograms of cannabis seeds; 16 kilograms 
of Kung cannabis; 5 kilograms of powder hashish; 2 kilograms of 
cocaine; 112,446 units of syntactical pills; and 3470 liters of 
acid anhydride. 
DARNELL