15 August 1984 PKK attacks
Encyclopedia
The 15 August 1984 PKK attacks, which were led by Mahsum Korkmaz
(known as "Agit"), marked the start of the Turkey-PKK conflict
.
Since the PKK's second party Congress, which was held from 20 to 25 August 1982 in Daraa, Syria
, it was decided that the PKK would start preparing for an insurgency inside Turkey. Training camps were opened in Syria and in Lebanon
's Beqaa Valley
and propaganda teams were sent across the border to make contact with the local populations. After years of preparation, the PKK launched its first major attacks on 15 August 1984. The attack was led by the founder of the PKK's military wing.
PKK forces attacked the gendarmerie station in Eruh
in Siirt
and killed one gendarmerie soldier and injured six soldiers and three civilians. Simultaneously, PKK forces attacked a gendarmerie open-air facility, officer housings and a gendarmerie station in Şemdinli
, Hakkâri
and killed two police officers and injured one police officer and a soldier.
Initially, Turkish authorities did not take the attacks seriously, however the attack was followed up by a raid on a police station in Siirt on August 17, which was soon followed by an attack that killed three of General Kenan Evren
's Preidential Guards in Yüksekova
and an ambush which killed 8 Turkish soldiers in Çukurca
, in Hakkâri province.
Insurgent violence in the predominantly Kurdish
South-East of Turkey escalated heavily after the attacks. Around 2,500 people were killed during the conflict between the August 15, 1984 and 1991. This number rose to 17,500 between 1991 and 1992 and the Turkish state puts the number of people killed by the insurgency at 44,000 as of September 2008.
Mahsum Korkmaz
Mahsum Korkmaz or Mazlum Korkmaz, also known as Agit, was the first commander of the Kurdistan Workers' Party 's military forces. He is known to have led the 15 August 1984 PKK attacks which was the start of the PKK's armed rebellion against Turkey. He was killed on Nowruz, 1986, by Turkish...
(known as "Agit"), marked the start of the Turkey-PKK conflict
Turkey-PKK conflict
The Turkey – Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict, also referred to as the Kurdish Conflict in Turkey, the Kurdish Conflict, the Kurdish insurgency, the Kurdish rebellion or PKK-terrorism and has also been described as the latest Kurdish uprising or as a civil war, is an armed conflict between the...
.
Since the PKK's second party Congress, which was held from 20 to 25 August 1982 in Daraa, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, it was decided that the PKK would start preparing for an insurgency inside Turkey. Training camps were opened in Syria and in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
's Beqaa Valley
Beqaa Valley
The Beqaa Valley is a fertile valley in east Lebanon. For the Romans, the Beqaa Valley was a major agricultural source, and today it remains Lebanon’s most important farming region...
and propaganda teams were sent across the border to make contact with the local populations. After years of preparation, the PKK launched its first major attacks on 15 August 1984. The attack was led by the founder of the PKK's military wing.
PKK forces attacked the gendarmerie station in Eruh
Eruh
-Villages:Ak Diken, Bağgöze ,Ballı Kavak, Bayır Yuzu,Bilgili , Bingöl, Bozatlı, Bozkuş, Böluklu, Budamış, Cintepe, Çeltiksuyu, Çetinkol, Çırpılı, Cimencik, Çizmeli, Dadaklı, Dağduşu, Dalkorur, Demiremek, Dikboğaz, Dönerdöver, Dudiran , Ekinyolu, Erenkaya, Garsani Habeş, Garsan-i Amo Şahin,...
in Siirt
Siirt Province
Siirt Province is a province of Turkey, located in the southeast. The province borders Bitlis to the north, Batman to the west, Mardin to the southwest, Şırnak to the south, and Van to the east. It has an area of 5,406 km² and a total population of 300,695...
and killed one gendarmerie soldier and injured six soldiers and three civilians. Simultaneously, PKK forces attacked a gendarmerie open-air facility, officer housings and a gendarmerie station in Şemdinli
Semdinli
Şemdinli is a district located in the Hakkari Province of southeastern Turkey.The population is 11,211 as of 2010.It was previously in the Ottoman vilayet of Van and the district centre was called Nevşehir...
, Hakkâri
Hakkari Province
Hakkâri Province is a province in the south east corner of Turkey. The administrative centre is located in the city of Hakkâri . The province covers an area of 7,121 km² and has a population of 251,302 . The province had a population of 236,581 in 2000.The province was created in 1936 out of...
and killed two police officers and injured one police officer and a soldier.
Initially, Turkish authorities did not take the attacks seriously, however the attack was followed up by a raid on a police station in Siirt on August 17, which was soon followed by an attack that killed three of General Kenan Evren
Kenan Evren
Ahmet Kenan Evren was the seventh President of Turkey; a post he assumed by leading the 1980 military coup. He was also the last president to be born in the Ottoman Empire.- Biography :...
's Preidential Guards in Yüksekova
Yüksekova
Yüksekova is a district of Hakkari Province of Turkey, situated close to the border with Iran. Its location on the trade route between Iranian Azarbaijan and eastern Turkey made it an important juncture for travelers and the location of several ethnic groups that were active in regional trade....
and an ambush which killed 8 Turkish soldiers in Çukurca
Çukurca
Çukurca is a district of Hakkari Province of Turkey. The mayor is Mehmet Kanar . The population is 5283 as of 2010....
, in Hakkâri province.
Insurgent violence in the predominantly Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
South-East of Turkey escalated heavily after the attacks. Around 2,500 people were killed during the conflict between the August 15, 1984 and 1991. This number rose to 17,500 between 1991 and 1992 and the Turkish state puts the number of people killed by the insurgency at 44,000 as of September 2008.