US embassy cable - 88ANKARA4266

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 04266 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR 
TAGS: PINS, PTER, TU 
SUBJECT: PKK KILLS NINE IN SIIRT 
 
1. (C) - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2. PKK TERRORISTS KILLED NINE VILLAGERS AND 350 SHEEP IN 
YAGZIKOYMAK VILLAGE IN THE URUH DISTRICT OF SOUTHEASTERN 
SIIRT PROVINCE MARCH 29. THE TERRORISTS ATTACKED TWO 
DIFFERENT HOUSES IN THE VILLAGE, STRANGLING FOUR MEN IN 
ONE HOUSE AND THREE MORE IN ANOTHER.  LATER, TERRORISTS, 
PERHAPS A DIFFERENT GROUP, SHOT TWO MEN AT A HOUSE TWO 
KILOMETERS AWAY.  TERRORISTS ALSO EXECUTED 350 SHEEP 
WITH MACHINE GUN FIRE, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. THE 
SHEEP WERE IN A CAVE USED AS A SHEEPPEN AND WERE BEING 
GUARDED BY SOME OF THE MURDERED VILLAGERS. 
 
3. HURRIYET SAID THAT THE VILLAGE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN 
ATTACKED BY THE PKK AND HAD VILLAGE GUARDS AS WELL AS A 
POLICE STATION.  HENCE, THE TERRORISTS KILLED THEIR 
VICTIMS BY STRANGLING TO AVOID DETECTION. 
 
4. AMCONSUL ADANA HAS SPOKEN WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE 
IN SIIRT, AND THEY CONFIRMED THE ATTACK.  ADANA NOTED 
THAT THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR PKK ACTION OF THE SEASON, 
AFTER A LONG HIATUS CAUSED BY THE REGION'S HARSH WINTER. 
 
5. COMMENT: THE ATTACK CAME ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
1986 KILLING OF PKK LEADER MAHSUN KORKMAZ BY SECURITY 
OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS ON THE LAST DAY OF NEVRUZ, THE NEW 
YEAR HOLIDAY. IT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE FOURTH YEAR 
OF THE INSURRECTION IN TURKEY'S SOUTHEAST. 
 
6. DURING THE WINTER HIATUS, THE PKK HAD AN INTENSE 
INTERNAL DEBATE ON THE THE USEFULNESS OF ITS TERRORIST 
CAMPAIGN AGAINST VILLAGERS.  THIS LATEST ATTACK WOULD 
INDICATE THAT THE DEBATE HAS BEEN RESOLVED IN FAVOR OF 
CONTINUED TERRORISM.  WE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THE 
TERRORISTS DID NOT TARGET WOMEN AND CHILDREN THIS TIME, 
AS THEY DID IN SEVERAL OUTRAGES LAST SUMMER. 
 
STRAUSZ-HUPE