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Northern Iraq according to the USAK Report |
20 June 2007By Cuneyt ULSEVER, Turkish Daily News
Tuesday , 19 June 2007
Many things are talked about northern Iraq, heated debates are held. Fierce accusations are made too. But last week I finally got a chance to read one of the rare serious studies on northern Iraq.
Under the leadership of Associated Professor Sedat La+ðiner the Institute of International Strategic Researches U.S.A.K ÔÇô (www.usak.org.tr) published a report titled "Operation Northern Iraq" (Ankara - 13.06.2007) discussing the northern Iraq issue in detail.
I will try to summarize the 63-page report to the best of my ability here, so perhaps some people will have the opportunity to resort to common sense while looking at this vital issue.
First, I will reflect a few ascertainments on a possible operation in northern Iraq.
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Cross-border operations became a method that Turkey often applied in the 1990s, but it is hard to tell if they were successful in general. One neither can say that partial successes compensate moral loss. So far, the number of major Turkish cross-border operations in the region amounts to 24.
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In practice, the Turkish military is inside Iraqi borders since 1992. Especially, in the rectangular area of Zaho, Haftanin, Duhok and Amediye, there is a heavy Turkish military presence. Turkish troops from time to time hold operations from a few kilometers to 60 kilometers deep inside the border.
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The number of outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists in northern Iraq varies between 3,000 and 5,000. Number of active PKK terrorists along the border is estimated around 2,000, 1,000 of whom are relatively better trained. The number of terrorists inside Turkey is estimated as 1,500.
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After 2003 in particular, over 10 relatively large-scale armed PKK camps were formed in northern Iraq. The total number of camps is estimated at over 20. Weapon and ideological trainings are also provided here.
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The PKK sheltered heavily in the Kandil mountain range away from the Turkish border. The closest point of these mountains is 80-90 kilometers by air, more than 100 kilometers surface distance. Considering terror camps, the distance exceeds 150 kilometers. The nearest airborne support is provided from Diyarbakır or Malatya. Which means that air support is about 456 kilometers away from the operation region. It is very difficult to lay siege on the mountain range entirely. Such an attempt requires a siege varying between 235 kilometers and 317 kilometers at distance, an area over 3,000 kilometer square meters that should be kept under control.
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The valley PKK nested in is at the height of 1,300-1,500 meters. Mountains around the valley are about 2,900 meter high. The summit peak is at 3,500 meters. Namely, the PKK is in a way placed in a natural fortress. The dimension of this area is estimated as 13.4 X 4.6 kilometers. Zigzag passages should be taken to reach the mountain.
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Presumably, the number of terrorists around the Kandil Mountain and surroundings decreased upon discussions over a possible cross-border operation. However, a few hundred terrorists are deployed in well-maintained shelters in the mountain. Some experts believe this figure is about 600. The Mountain is mostly used for training purposes. New comers are brought here and trained for bombings and attacks. The "Mahsun Korkmaz Military Academy" and the "Haki Karer Ideological Training Academy" are situated here on the mountain.
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Tomorrow: The significance of northern Iraq for the PKK terror in the USAK report will be discussed.
Source: Turkish Daily News
19 June 2007 |
20 June 2007
By Cuneyt ULSEVER
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