Subject: TURKEY/KURDS (L) [3] By AMBERIN ZAMAN/ANKARA From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/21/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175819 TITLE=TURKEY/KURDS (L) BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN DATELINE=ANKARA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKISH TROOPS ARE CONTINUING THEIR ASSAULT AGAINST KURDISH REBELS IN NORTHERN IRAQ IN THE SECOND DAY OF AN OFFENSIVE THAT TURKISH OFFICIALS HAVE DESCRIBED AS THE LARGEST MILITARY OPERATION IN TURKEY'S RECENT HISTORY. AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA. TEXT: TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY THEIR TROOPS ARE PUSHING DEEPER INTO NORTHERN IRAQ ON THE SECOND DAY OF A CAMPAIGN AGAINST REBELS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, OR P-K-K, WHILE TURKISH FIGHTER JETS ARE PURSUING THEIR RAIDS AGAINST REBEL TARGETS. TURKISH STATE TELEVISION SAYS ABOUT 35-THOUSAND TROOPS BACKED BY TANKS AND HELICOPTER GUNSHIPS HAVE SECURED POSITIONS 40 KILOMETERS INSIDE NORTHERN IRAQ. THE TROOPS ARE TARGETTING ABOUT A DOZEN REBEL CAMPS WHERE AN ESTIMATED THREE THOUSAND P-K-K GUERRILLAS ARE BELIEVED TO BE BASED. TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS CONFIRM THAT TURKISH FIGHTER JETS HAVE DESTROYED A P-K-K CAMP NORTH OF THE TOWN OF BOTE CLOSE TO THE IRANIAN BORDER. SHAZAD SAIB, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN, OR P-U-K, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN IRAQI KURDISH FACTIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ, SAYS A FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL WAS KILLED AND FOUR OTHER CIVILIANS WERE WOUNDED IN THE VILLAGE OF PILINKAN NEAR RANIA AS A RESULT OF THE TURKISH RAID. THE KURDISTAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, OR K-D-P, WHICH ALONG WITH THE P-U-K HAS BEEN IN CONTROL IN NORTHERN IRAQ SINCE THE END OF THE 1990 GULF WAR, APPEALED TO WESTERN GOVERNMENTS AND THE UNITED NATIONS TO INTERVENE TO SECURE THE WITHDRAWAL OF TURKISH TROOPS. THE K-D-P SAID IT FEARED FOR THE LIVES OF INNOCENT KURDISH CIVILIANS LIVING IN AREAS BEING TARGETTED BY TURKISH MILITARY PLANES. TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER HAS ASSURED WESTERN GOVERNMENTS THAT MAXIMUM PRECAUTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF CIVILIAN LIVES. TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY NEARLY A YEAR OF BLOODY CLASHES BETWEEN MASSOUD BARZANI'S K-D-P AND JALAL TALABANI'S P-U-K HAS CREATED A POWER VACUUM ALONG THE TURKISH-IRAQI BORDER, WHICH THE P-K-K HAS USED TO STAGE HIT-AND-RUN ATTACKS AGAINST TURKISH MILITARY POSITIONS. WESTERN ANALYSTS QUESTION TO WHAT EXTENT THE OFFENSIVE CAN FULFILLTURKEY'S GOAL TO END THE P-K-K'S 11 YEAR INSURGENCY. THEY POINT OUT THAT THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ALONG THE BORDER MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR REGULAR FORCES TO COME WITHIN RANGE OF THE REBELS, WHO OFTEN HIDE IN CAVES. PAST CROSSBORDER ATTACKS AGAINST THE P-K-K HAVE SO FAR NOT SUCCEEDED IN STAMPING OUT THE KURDISH REBELLION. THE MOST RECENT OFFENSIVE WAS IN 1992 WHEN ABOUT 10-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS CROSSED THE BORDER FOR A MONTH LONG OPERATION CARRIED OUT WITH THE HELP OF K-D-P AND P-U-K FIGHTERS. BUT THE P-K-K HAS SINCE KEPT UP ITS BATTLE AGAINST THE TURKISH ARMY. FIFTEEN TURKISH SOLDIERS WERE KILLED AND 19 WERE WOUNDED ON SATURDAY WHEN THE P-K-K ATTACKED A MILITARY CONVOY IN THE EASTERN PROVINCE OF TUNCELI. THE P-K-K HAS BEEN FIGHTING SINCE 1984 FOR AN INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE. SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 13-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN KURDISH RELATED VIOLENCE IN THE THE SOUTHEAST. (SIGNED) NEB/AZ/MH/JWH 21-Mar-95 9:30 AM EST (1430 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------