Subject: TURKISH OFFENSIVE (L-ONLY) By AMBERIN ZAMAN/DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/22/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175899 TITLE=TURKISH OFFENSIVE (L-ONLY) BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN DATELINE=DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY AT LEAST 200 FIGHTERS OF THE SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K, AND 13 TURKISH SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF A MASSIVE TURKISH MILITARY OPERATION AGAINST REBEL BASES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. FROM DIYARBAKIR, IN SOUTHEAST TURKEY, AMBERIN ZAMAN FILES THIS REPORT. TEXT: IN DIYARBAKIR, TURKISH MILITARY SPOKESMAN COLONEL DOGU SILAHCIOGLU DESCRIBED THE CROSS BORDER OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K, AS A TOTAL SUCCESS. HE SAID ABOUT 35-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS HAD ENCIRCLED ABOUT THREE-THOUSAND P-K-K REBELS IN THE OPERATION ZONE, WHICH EXTENDS 220 KILOMETERS ALONG THE TURKISH IRAQI BORDER AND 40 KILOMETERS INTO IRAQI TERRITORY. COLONEL SILAHCIOGLU ADDED THAT LARGE NUMBERS OF REBEL WEAPONS HAD BEEN SEIZED AT THEIR MOUNTAIN HIDEOUTS. HE SAID THE WEAPONS INCLUDED MORTARS, ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS AND ROCKET LAUNCHERS. RESPONDING TO ALLEGATIONS THAT IRAQI KURDISH CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED DURING TURKISH AIR RAIDS DURING THE PAST THREE DAYS, COLONEL SILAHCIOGLU DESCRIBED THE REPORTS AS DELIBERATE FABRICATIONS BY THE FOREIGN MEDIA, ADDING THAT THE TURKISH MILITARY HAS BEEN ACTING WITH UTMOST CARE TO AVOID CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. HE ALSO DENIED REPORTS THAT KURDISH REFUGEES WHO FLED TURKEY LAST YEAR TO NORTHERN IRAQ WERE BEING FORCIBLY REPATRIATED BY TURKISH SECURITY FORCES. IN A MOVE APPARENTLY AIMED AT REBUTTING NEGATIVE PUBLICITY ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE, THE TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS ANNOUNCED ESTABLISHMENT OF WHAT IT CALLS A SECURITY COORDINATION CENTER IN THE IRAQI TOWN OF ZAKHO, SOUTH OF THE TURKISH BORDER. THE CENTER IS INTENDED TO RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS FROM IRAQI KURDS RELATED TO THE TURKISH OFFENSIVE. TURKISH OFFICIALS DESCRIBE THE CROSS-BORDER OPERATION AS THE GREATEST MILITARY EXERCISE IN RECENT TURKISH HISTORY. THE SCALE OF THE OFFENSIVE, WESTERN ANALYSTS SAY, SUGGESTS THAT TURKISH FORCES MAY REMAIN IN NORTHERN IRAQ FOR SOME TIME. ANKARA SAYS THE OPERATION IS AIMED AT ELIMINATING ALL KURDISH GUERRILLA BASES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. THE P-K-K HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR AN INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE SINCE 1984. MORE THAN 13-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE REBELS LAUNCHED THEIR ARMED STRUGGLE AGAINST THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT. (SIGNED) NEB/AZ/SKH/CF 22-Mar-95 2:37 PM EST (1937 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------