Rebel Kurds kill two village gu

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

Subject: Re: Rebel Kurds kill two village guards in Turkey

   id VT18003; Sat, 16 Sep 1995 22:42:56 -0800

-------------- Forwarded from : nytmx at mit.xs4all.nl (NY Transfer) --------------


Rebel Kurds kill two village guards in Turkey

    TUNCELI, Turkey, Sept 12 (Reuter) - Kurdish rebels killed
two state-paid village guards in separate raids in Turkey's
eastern province of Tunceli, army officers said on Tuesday.
    Following the raids on Monday night, soldiers pushed rebels
back into the Alibogazi ravine, a 1,500-metre (5,000 feet) deep
gash that cuts into the 3,000-metre (10,000 feet) Munzur
mountains, one officer said.
    Two Cobra helicopters bombed the ravine early on Tuesday and
up to 1,500 troops were sent to the area, where about 10,000
troops are already deployed, security officials said.
    Describing the rebel attacks, an officer said: ``A large
group of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) attacked the
Saribalta and Ulukale villages in Cemisgezek township at about
9.30 p.m. (1830 GMT) last night and killed two village guards,''
one officer said.
    Village guards, armed and paid by the state in the fight
against the PKK, and their families are often targets for
guerrilla attacks.
    Turkish forces last week began what they called a final push
to wipe out PKK guerrillas in Tunceli province but so far only
about 10 rebels have been reported killed there.
    Up to 50,000 troops were said to be involved in the sweep
that may last several months, army officials said.
    Troops have tried in vain to flush the PKK out of Tunceli
since the arrival of rebel chief Semdin ``Fingerless Zeki''
Sakik, who began operating in the region last year.
    The rebels have frequently defied government and military
assertions that the elusive rebels are close to defeat.
    Nearly 18,000 people have been killed in the PKK's 11-year
fight for independence or autonomy in the southeast.
Reut07:23 09-12-95

Reuter N:Copyright 1995, Reuters News Service