The General Staff Knew About PKK’s Dağlıca Ambush

The newspaper Taraf claimed that the General Staff had known about PKK’s Dağlıca ambush nine days before the incident. During the ambush PKK had killed 13 soldiers and kidnapped 8.

The General Staff did not make an announcement about the allegation.

It is clearly stated where and when the ambush was going to take place and who were going to take part in it in the intelligence report published by Taraf. The intelligence report was prepared by Van Gendarmerie Law and Order Corps Command, numbered 3590-2292-07/İDAM (63939).

Following this report on October 12, 2007, the Gendarmerie Headquarters prepared an “Internal Intelligence Report.”  

In the first report, stamped “urgent” the following was said:

“Through the collaborators in T.Ö. [Terrorist Organization] under the command of Zindan who is active in Hakari-Yüksekova-İkiyaka region, it was found out that they were trying to get information about the movements of Dağlıca (20-37) 3^rd Motorized Battalion Command and were planning an operation against the military units in Keri Tepe (19-35) base region and Geper region (22-35)…”

The report was sent to the Head of the General Staff Intelligence, the Head of the Army Command Intelligence, the Head of the Gendarmerie Command Intelligence, the 2^nd Army Command Intelligence and Hakkari Mountain Commando Brigade under the command of  Dağlıca Battalion.  

“…Were planning an operation against the military units operating in Dağlıca”

Two days after this report was sent by Van Gendarmerie Law and Order Corps Command on October 12, the Gendarmerie Head Quarters prepared an “Internal Intelligence Report” and sent it to the necessary units. Also on this report, which was prepared on October 14, it was stated that the terrorist units operating in Hakkari Yüksekova region were  planning an operation against the military units operating in Dağlıca.

Both reports also warned the authorities that operations were expected in Şırnak, Siirt, Van regions and the PKK members were going to attack the military posts. They even supplied the detailed identities of those who were going to take part in these operations.

The eight soldiers who were kidnapped during Dağlıca ambush were taken to northern Iraq

They were returned by PKK and arrested immediately by the Turkish military. Later they were released pending trial

The soldiers were released after the efforts of the Democratic Society Party and a lawsuit was filed against them for “disobeying orders.” (EÜ/NZ/TB)