Turkey 'kills 35 smugglers' in strike against militants

[RPK]

Turkey 'kills 35 smugglers' in strike against militants - Telegraph


Turkish warplanes strike militant targets regularly in the region in their battle against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas, and have stepped up raids after a PKK attack in August.
"We have 30 corpses, all of them are burned. The state knew that these people were smuggling in the region. This kind of incident is unacceptable. They were hit from the air," said Fehmi Yaman, mayor of Uludere in Sirnak province.
The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said in a statement 35 people had been killed, adding that party leaders were heading for the area.
The Turkish government was not immediately available for comment.
Smuggling is an important source of income for locals in provinces along the Iraqi border, with many villagers involved in bringing fuel, cigarettes and other goods from Iraqi villages on the other side of the border.

PKK militants also cross the border in these areas.
"There were rumours that the PKK would cross through this region. Images were recorded of a crowd crossing last night, hence an operation was carried out," a Turkish security official said.
"We could not have known whether these people were (PKK) group members or smugglers," he said.
Television images showed a line of corpses covered by blankets on a barren hillside, with a crowd of people gathered around, some with their head in their hands and crying.
People loaded the corpses onto donkeys which were led down the hillside to be loaded into vehicles to be taken to hospital in the mainly Kurdish southeast of the country.
Security sources said those killed were carrying canisters of diesel on mules and their bodies were found on the Iraqi side of the border.
They said those killed were from Uludere on the Turkish side of the border on what was a regular smuggling route.
The Firat news agency, which has close ties to the PKK, said that 17 people were still believed to be missing. It said those killed were aged around 17-20.
The PKK, regarded as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, launches attacks on Turkish forces in southeastern Turkey from hideouts inside the remote Iraqi mountains.
Turkey and Iran have often skirmished with rebels in the region and Turkish leaders vowed revenge in October with air and ground strikes after the PKK killed 24 Turkish soldiers in raids on military outposts in southeastern Turkey.
It was one of the deadliest attacks since the PKK took up arms in 1984 in a conflict in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.

 

[TrMhMt]

They are not smugglers... They are terrorist militants of Pkk. Smuggling is under control of pkk at this region. I will post a few pics soon to prove they are militants of pkk.

 

[Deno]

TrMhMt is right. Smuggling trough Syria, Iraq, Iran borders generally done by PKK. They could be terrorist but they are most likely jut sympathisers. Even though this people are criminals, it is going to be a stain on our no-civilian death record. But this should not be criminalize our Army. Even though they did their duty, there should be a offical apology.

P.S: ''There are currently 5 users browsing this thread. (3 members and 2 guests)
Deno TrMhMt 500''
500 please do not start with it is same with flottila, Turkey made Israel look like criminal, now they did the same thing...

This was an air operation, our pilots had no means to identify these people while Israel knew that peoplein flotilla was activists.

Edit: spelling mistake

 

[Zulkarneyn]

Sad news. I hope this won't fuel anger within some Kurdish communities in Turkey... Since there are people who see these kinds of events as oppurtunities (DTP, PKK). I just hope people are smart enough understand a mistake and intentional murder.

 

[TrMhMt]

Sad news..

Its not sad indeed... Pkk used this tactics and murdered 21 soldiers lst time. They always use this tactic. This time they have busted. I will post a few pics to prove these people are not smugglers. They are wearing the same uniform of pkk militants.

And the other facts, smugglers never do this job with 40-50 people. We know that, smugglers always use 100 donkeys and 4 riders not a few donkeys and 40-50 riders. Only pkk does this before massive attack. I am 100% sure that a few donkeys were carrying heavy machine guns and mortars.

 

[Zulkarneyn]

Its not sad indeed... Pkk used this tactics and murdered 21 soldiers lst time. They always use this tactic. This time they have busted. I will post a few pics to prove these people are not smugglers. They are wearing the same uniform of pkk militants.

And the other facts, smugglers never do this job with 40-50 people. We know that smugglers always use 100 donkeys and 4 riders not a few donkeys and 40-50 riders. Only pkk does this before massive attack. I am 100% sure that a few donkeys were carrying heavy machine guns and mortars.

Without any evidence you should not say these people were PKK members or sympathizers. They may be innocent poor villagers who try to make a living by smuggling materials. It is a fact that many villagers in those areas are smuggling because there are no borders in mountain areas and because they are poor.

We must of course stay critical towards this, but claiming these men were all PKK members or sympathizers is too harsh. The military has in the past done mistakes, since they are human, so it is normal that they thought these men were PKK since they were in a group and carrying things.

But we should not conclude anything until it clears up what the events were about.

 

[TrMhMt]

First pic is belong so-called smugglers and second picture is belong militants of pkk. Can you see the first body? He wears the same uniform of pkk militants ...

---------- Post added at 05:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:24 PM ----------

Here is one more...

---------- Post added at 05:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:27 PM ----------

Here is one more ..

 

[Zulkarneyn]

I understand that you think these are PKK member/sympathisers. But without any clear evidence they can be civillians. To be honest they were traveling in a road between Iraq and Turkey, and that road is known to be a PKK spot. But we can't deny the possibility, that civillians who are poor chooses to use that road as well for smuggling. The first picture is not clear, you can't see if he is wearing the same clothes.

Therefore, we should not make definitive claims, until we know for sure who these men were. If they were innocent it is really sad for the deceased and their families. If they were terrorists then we can rest assured.

But in both circumstances, we can say that the military acted because they were thought to be PKK members. Hence, firstly the military did not target a village but a road, which is very good, and secondly they were travelling in a known PKK road. Therefore we can rest assured that the military acted on good belief.

But if it later reveals that these men were innocent, we should make sure to inform the villagers who live in border areas to travel in known civillian roads, or they can be suspected as PKK members.

 

[RedBeard]

Even if they were ONLY smugglers, still smuggling IS illegal! Turkiye is not a banana republic were u can cross the border whenever u like! And besides It was at night, uav's spotted them in the PKK TERRITORIES, pkk bases, how would the army supposed to deal with this? ofcourse we cannot walk to them and ask for their id's when agroup of 50 persons are at the point of crossing our border. God knows what they were carriying on those donkeys, they normally are loaded with large air defence guns, munition, mines and rockets! Cross the border you are getting bombed! That s the case in Turkiye! Thats how its done in every other country! And they should!

What happend here may be sad, but the right thing was done. Better then dead soldiers!

 

[TrMhMt]

Alright Zulkarneyn , lets say these are smugglers. What do smugglers do ? smuggling.. right? is this legal a job? I think no.

Firstly they give harm to our country and economy this is really serious an issue. Secondly and very important thing is they are doing this business in the middle of operation area. That area forbidden area for civilians coz Turkish army hits the pkk units by planes.

These people know that very well than all of us but they still do this job. This business is really dangerous and deadly they know it also. And one more thing, This business under control of pkk at this region you know that so do you think these people are innocents ?

As i said, I am 100% sure these people are militants of pkk . If they are not they cant do it without permission of pkk.

 

[RedBeard]

Brother i understand that you think these are PKK member/sympathisers. But without any clear evidence they can be civillians. To be honest they were traveling in a road between Iraq and Turkey, and that road is known to be a PKK spot. But we can't deny the possibility, that civillians who are poor chooses to use that road as well for smuggling. The first picture is not clear, you can't see if he is wearing the same clothes.

Therefore, we should not make definitive claims, until we know for sure who these men were. If they were innocent it is really sad for the deceased and their families. If they were terrorists then we can rest assured.

But in both circumstances, we can say that the military acted because they were thought to be PKK members. Hence, firstly the military did not target a village but a road, which is very good, and secondly they were travelling in a known PKK road. Therefore we can rest assured that the military acted on good belief.

But if it later reveals that these men were innocent, we should make sure to inform the villagers who live in border areas to travel in known civillian roads, or they can be suspected as PKK members.

Listen buddy, this is not like Denmark where the police can come in and ask for id's while searching them, they put a bullet in your head and its over!

Turkish armed forces should just declare that everybody crossing the borders by illegal ways will be hitted, cus there's simply no other way to stop those cross border attacks! Or else They will continue to smuggle guns and munition to attack oeur border outposts and kill our troops. Esspecially at this moment when the pkk are planning for revenge we must use all neccesary means possible.

 

[silko]

gebersin gitsin gøt herifler, ne bok isleri var orda!

good work... bdp has started to ***** and moan about this incident! hahahahahahaha

 

[RedBeard]

Silko i would't laught at this incident there were 15 year old kids among the deads. However border areas must be controlled very carefully and actively attacked when intruders spotted. Villagers, smugglers i dont care, group of 50 villagers at night alongside donkeys loaded with unknown bagages on pkk terrtory can never be there without pkk permission and coordination. This was handdled right way, i support those preemptive strikes, it must devellop and used more oftenly Or else they will attack even more and kill more of our soldiers!

 

[TrMhMt]

I think this is well planned game by game makers of pkk. These days TSK is very successful against pkk. Last 2 weeks pkk lost more than 200 militants and more than 120 captured. And TSK located their caves and bunkers. So they are getting powerless.

As we know, smugglers cross the border with a lot donkeys and a few riders. This time they cross the border with a few donkeys but 50 riders. So pkk tried to fooled TSK and make them believe these are militants of pkk and crossing the border. This time they are successful. These 50 militants are sacrificed by pkk. Now they are trying to make us believe that they are smugglers.

Now BDP and other terrorist supporters will use this for their propaganda. They will try to make our gov. stop the operations against pkk.

I say again. They are not smugglers. They are pkk militants and they made this story to fooled people and our gov. They think we are really naive to believe this story.

 

[silko]

Silko i would't laught at this incident there were 15 year old kids among the deads. However border areas must be controlled very carefully and actively attacked when intruders spotted. Villagers, smugglers i dont care, group of 50 villagers at night alongside donkeys loaded with unknown bagages on pkk terrtory can never be there without pkk permission and coordination. This was handdled right way, i support those preemptive strikes, it must devellop and used more oftenly Or else they will attack even more and kill more of our soldiers!

there was an incident some time ago, dont know if u remember a kid that was shoot dead because of almost the same thing to.

they deserve it. birincisi, ne BOK isleri var orda? terorist ol olma, orda bi bok isin yok arkadas. otur oturdugun yerde!