April showers bring … growing violence in southeast Turkey?
Both the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers Party are feverishly preparing for expected heavy clashes in the spring.
This year, the coming of spring has not brightened the lives of people in Turkey's southeastern towns, where violence continues. The coming of spring means heavy winter conditions and melting snow are replaced by green trees and many rainy, foggy days. It also means a probable increase and expansion of clashes.
The milder meteorological conditions will allow the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to become more mobile. With improved logistics support, the PKK could integrate its urban units, which have been operating independently, and transform them into a regional force and escalate fighting. Security forces, which are aware of these realities, are frantically preparing.
Security officials in Ankara expect multiple, simultaneous PKK operations on the ground or actions in the cities at the end of April. Ankara has reacted by increasing the number of special operations teams trained in urban warfare, appropriate vehicles and weaponry.
Al-Monitor has learned from its sources in Ankara that one extraordinary step taken was to shorten the training periods of police special operations teams. Gendarmerie special operations teams in the region that today total 12,500 will be boosted to at least 20,000. Police special operations teams that today have 7,800 personnel will be increased to 20,000.
