Collapse of PKK continues

Collapse of PKK continues

Deserting terrorists indicate that the organization is in chaos and that the number of member suicides is increasing

Ankara - Turkish Daily News, 8. July 00

Some 78 members of the illegal Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), fleeing the separatist terrorist organization, have reported lack of discipline, infighting within the leadership, a lack of volunteers, desertion, increasing numbers of member suicides and other signs of collapse and chaos within the organization, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Reportedly, over 480 terrorists have managed to flee the organization despite measures taken by the PKK to prevent this. Over 70 deserting terrorists were killed as punishment when caught by the PKK and others are reported to have killed themselves rather than stay on. Those terrorists who have managed to flee are saying that they will not return unless Osman Ocalan is exiled from the organization and its chairmanship council disbanded.

Security forces have reported that in the first six months of the year some 218 terrorists, including 15 members of the PKK leadership, have been killed in clashes with the army and gendarmerie forces. In addition, a full 80 tons of food together with large numbers of weapons, ammunition and explosives have been seized by security forces since the beginning of the year.