Infodesk Statement #6

[kurd-l at burn.UCSD.EDU]

Reply-To: kurd-l at burn.UCSD.EDU
From: Kurdistan Committee of Canada <kcc at magi.com>
Subject: Infodesk Statement #6

Information Desk - The Turkish Invasion of South Kurdistan
Tel: +32-2-230-9233
Fax: +32-2-230-9208

Press Release #6

We received the following news from Ahmet Yigit, a correspondent
for the Kurdish-German news agency KURD-A, in Zaxo, South
Kurdistan:

                  The Turks Are Targeting The Civilians

     Members of the Turkish armed forces surrounded the Atrush camp
near Zaxo and took its residents away. Numbering some 700 families,
these people had fled from Turkish state terror a year ago.
Recognized by the United Nations as refugees, there is still no
word as to what the Turkish officials did with them. There are
unconfirmed reports that they may be taken back to Turkey against
their will.
     There was heavy fighting in the Kapiske region near Haruk
where Kurdish guerrilla fighters and Turkish soldiers fought in
close proximity. In three different areas, the fighting lasted all
day yesterday and there are reports that 54 Turkish soldiers were
killed. At the end of the day, the Kurdish forces reported 1
guerrilla wounded and another 1 killed. In Kamis and Amediye
regions, Kurdish guerrillas ambushed a military convoy, killing 17
soldiers and wounding many others. Two of the military vehicles
were put out of commission. Encounters with Turkish soldiers were
also reported near Basyan village and at Metina, Batufa, Kela, and
Xankurke.
     The reports that the Turkish soldiers are not harming the
civilians are simply untrue. In Hirzaya, Derkar, and Tilkebar,
about 100 Kurds from North Kurdistan (southeastern Turkey) were
arrested and 7 of them were taken back to city of Silopi where they
had lived before fleeing to the south. Mehmet Aksoy, a 35-year-old
Kurd, was among those taken prisoner by the Turks.
     In the village of Eredinan near Bamerli, Turkish soldiers
searched all the houses, harassed most of the residents, and
mishandled some of the village leaders. They also insulted the
women and made passes at them. The village shepherd was beaten so
badly that he died. In Zaxo, the house of Xalid Sexo was searched
and then destroyed and Mr. Sexo, a supporter of the Patriotic Union
of Kurdistan (PUK), was taken away.
     On Turkish TV screens, much is said about weapons captured
from Kurdish fighters. But local sources note that the army took
over the arsenals of the PUK in Dekara village and showed them as
weapons confiscated from Kurdish fighters.