Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

REVUE DE PRESSE-PRESS REVIEW-BERHEVOKA ÇAPÊ-RNISTA
STAMPA-DENTRO DE LA PRENSA-BASIN ÖZETi
turkish daily news- January 29, 1994
go to the extent of blockinghumanitarian aid for
Kurdish civilians.
Although Talabani has argued that there were
only about 1,000 militants remaining in Zaleh,
PUK sources close to the camp have told the
TDN that the camp, in the main, ISmade out of a
total of 21 houses which contain some 120 militants
at the most on the Iraqi side of the border.
The remaining militants are nonnally on the move
and/or in for training.
Ankara officials have frequently argued that
the PKK's ability to move out of the region and
cross into Turkey -- either from Iran or Iraq -- is
against the tenns of Turkey's own agreement with
the Iraq} Kurds. .
Despite these comments, there.was no clear indication
that Zaleh would be hit by Turkey at least
before next spring. Not only is the camp over
a hundred kilometers south of the border, bUIit is
based in a rugged, mountainous region and partially
in Iranian territory as well.
There was concern that such an attack would
have to mean strikino Iran as well.
But, as Çiller said on Friday, the decision was
of a political nature. One with its consequences
carefully considered and coming after extensive
.. talks on security with officials from Iraq, Iran and
120
the iraqï Kurdish governmenr.
Turkey had given a warning that it would do
what was necessary if others failed to do it.
Both of the Kurdish leaders in Iraq have been
aw~e that. the ~aleh.issue is increas,inoly hanning
theIr relatIOnshIp wIth Turkey, a lIfe'Iine for the
Kurds of the region.
Once such an obstacle is removed, it is evident
that such relations will be smoother -- if the
Kurds do not make similar mistakes in the future.
What is not known exactly for the time being is
truly how many PKK militants were in Zaleh and
whether they were all part of the "fil!htino force."
A number of female militants,appro~imately
250, are cited amono Turkey's targets. But there.
. are reports from the Kurdish side that there were
some children and elderly as well, relatives of militants
or banished people. Had the PKK used Zaleh
in accordance with its protocol with the Kurds
and had it refrained from military trainino and at-.
tacks, it would not have jeopardized thes~ people.
BUI, the PKK has little consideration for such
"minor factors." Neither does it have the right to
claim that innocents were killed. No, not the PKK
which.itself is systematically killing women and
children!
As for the fate of the two PKK commanders in
Zaleh, (Ferhat) Osmàn Öcalan and the notorious
radical leader (Mahir) Numan Ucar, these àre not
know.nyet. They may have escaped or died. Little
does It matter.
The fact is, Zaleh had to be hit and Turkey has
taken care not to hann any civilians in the area.
There may have been some casualties from out of
. the r.anks of the smuoglers and/or border guards.
. But 10 dealing with the PKK and/or tolerating it
they knew of the risks.
'
Zaleh is terminated or will be soon, depending
on the results of post-operation reconnaissance
flights. This is an important advanlaoe for Turkey.
What i~ more important is that Ankara has
clearly put Its cards on the table and make it
known to other countries in the reoion that it seriously
determined this time to cnfsh terrorism at
whatever cost. .
And, it has not gone unnoticed how Chief of
.St.aff Gen. DofioanGüre~, in his morning meetino
WIthTansu Çi er, referred to Zaleh. "This is eve~
closer to Turkey than the Bekaa Valley," he said.
.Zaleh was bom~ed not becau.se Turkey wanted
this, but because It had turned IOta a serious risk
for this country and those neighborina it. Zaleh
was hit, because it had to be hit. 0
PM.' This is the nwst important operation of the decade
General Güre~implies possible strike on Bekall Valley
Turkish Daily News. weather was appropriate for an operation and 70 minutes
ANKARA- More than 50 Turkish warplanes attacked a later, the warplanes took off. "A total of 132 bombs of vamajor
camp used by Kurdish terrorists deep inside nort- rious types were dropped during the attack which took
hem Iraq on Friday and reportedly destroyed major sepa- place from four flanks at four minute intervals," he said.
ratist targets in what Prime Minister Tansu Çiller descri- . Ciller told reporters after the operation that it was launcbed
as "the most important operation of the past decade." hed as the result of a "political decision."
A total of 52 sorties were carried out on the Kurdistan She added that the camp had contained 1,600 terrorists,
Workers' Party's (PKK) base on the Iraq-Iran border some including 300 women fianters and.~ome PKK leaders. In-
Il 0 kilometer~ (70 miles) south of the Turkish frontier. dependent sources said Osman Ocalan, brother of the
Çiller said the base had ,--------- -, PKK leader Abdullah, may
sheltered and trained over
have also been at the camp at
1,600 militants. A senior the time of the strike. While
military official said that Çiller noted that the Zaleh
2,OOOpound general pur-
camp had "replaced the Bekaa
pose bombs and CDU- Vaney," in reference to a
type cluster bombs were PKK camp in Syrian-controlused
to destroy the camp's led Lebanon, Chief of Staff
headquarters, its ammuni- Gen. Dogan Gürq stressed
tion depots, huts, tents and
that this target was even fartland
defense systems.
her away from Turkey than
Chief of Staff of the Bekaa. Observers said this re-
Turkish Air Force Gen. mark implied that Turkey was
Ali Güllü, said the operati- detennined to strike the PKK
on, which started at 8: I0
wherever it was based in the
a.m. local time, was launc- L... :....- ....J region.
hed after massive intelli- "This is a political decision
gence had been obtained from the air and through diffe- which had to be taken because 1994 needs to be a sianifirent
sources.
cant year in the fight against terrorism," Çiller said o~ Fri-
Çiller told journalists that satellite photographs were al- day. .. .
so available. This implied that Ankara may have coopera- A milit.ary source said dense Qlack smoke had obstructed
with Washington on the issue.
ted th~ flIght of planes at 9,000 feet but did not elaborate
Gullu said a total of 50 warplanes, a transportation pIa- on whether there would be another strike after the smoke
ne and five helicopters had participated in the air stnke. di.sperse~. Asked whether the operations would continue,
He explained that at 6:00 a.m. local time, two reconnais- Çlller saId they wouldbe receiving an intelligence briefing
sance planes had taken off from Erhac airbase in southern on the results of Friday's strike.
Turkey and conducted a meteorological survey of the targeted
.area. At 7:00 a.m., they informed the base that the