KURD-A News Updates: February 15-16

[ats at etext.org]

From: Arm The Spirit <ats at etext.org>
Subject: KURD-A News Updates: February 15-16, 1995

KURD-A News Updates
February 15-16, 1995

Mehmet Kaya, who lived on May 19th Street in Adana, was murdered
by contra-guerrillas on February 12, 1995 at 8:30am. This cafe
owner was killed by two people who shot him twice in the head as
he entered his cafe. After the murder, the police sealed off May
19th Street and carried out several house searches. Many people
had their furniture wrecked during these searches. According to
the local population, there were several arrests. (15.02.95)

On February 14, 1995, some Turkish media agencies and TV stations
reported that 38 Kurdish guerrillas had been killed during
fighting with Turkish security forces in the Diyarbakir-Dicle
region. After this story was reported in the media, we called the
ARGK's press office in Botan. The press office told us that there
had not even been any fighting in the Diyarbakir region in the
past three days. Furthermore, they noted that Kurdistan is
blanketed with snow this time of year, but in the TV pictures
shown, it was possible to see flowers blooming. "That fact alone
proves that the report was a lie." The ARGK's press office stated
further that the Turkish government is seeking to break the
morale of the Kurdish people with a psychological war before
spring arrives, but that the ARGK had completed its preparations
for its spring offensive and that the Turkish army is going to
suffer several defeats this year. (15.02.95)

Turkish security forces attacked the village of Yandere following
clashes between Kurdish guerrillas and Turkish security forces in
the mountains between the city of Akarsu and Yandere near
Nusaybin. During this attack, 18-year-old Murat Deniz was
murdered. Our correspondent reports that the Turkish army has
surrounded the village for two days now and will not let anyone
out. (15.02.95)

There is fighting between Kurdish guerrillas and Turkish army
units in the mountain region Gabar-Misare near Sirnak following a
major army operation in the region. Several soldiers have been
killed in the fighting, which began on February 15. A Kurdish
guerrilla named Veysel has also been killed. (16.02.95)

According to one of our correspondents, a Turkish soldier has
deserted his barracks in Sirnak. Desertion levels are apparently
on the rise within the Turkish army. The soldiers, who spent most
of the winter in their bases and barracks, are suffering from
psychological problems. One sergeant was shot and killed by a
Kurdish solider who couldn't stand the pressure any longer. The
sergeant was apparently stirring up the Turkish soldiers to hate
the Kurdish conscripts. (16.02.95)

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