A state of emergency was in effect in the province of Bingol from 1978 (US 24 Oct. 1996) until October 1997 (AFP 24 Mar. 1998; EIU ViewsWire 13 Oct. 1997).

Numerous news articles reported, during the period January 1997 to April 1998, that military operations were being carried out by the Turkish army against "militants" of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) in Bingol province, among other parts of south-eastern Turkey (AFP 30 Jan. 1997; ibid. 17 Mar. 1997; Xinhua 31 Mar. 1997; AFP 22 Apr. 1997; ibid. 27 Apr. 1997; ibid. 12 May 1997; DPA 12 June 1997; Anatolia 23 June 1997; Xinhua 19 July 1997; ibid. 9 Sept. 1997; AFP 9 Sept. 1997; Xinhua 19 Sept. 1997; AFP 21 Oct. 1997; ibid. 19 Nov. 1997; ibid. 21 Nov. 1997; Xinhua 11 Dec. 1997; ibid. 9 Mar. 1998; AFP 9 Mar. 1998; AFP 13 Mar. 1998; ibid. 14 Mar. 1998; ibid. 24 Apr. 1998; Xinhua 25 Apr. 1998; AFP 26 Apr. 1998; ibid. 29 Apr. 1998; AP 29 Apr. 1998; Turkish Daily News 30 Apr. 1998). During the armed clashes that took place as a result of these military operations, the articles reported that numerous PKK "militants" or "rebels" were killed by army personnel (AFP 30 Jan. 1997; ibid. 17 Mar. 1997; Xinhua 31 Mar. 1997; AFP 22 Apr. 1997; ibid. 27 Apr. 1997; ibid. 12 May 1997; Anatolia 23 June 1997; Xinhua 19 July 1997; ibid. 9 Sept. 1997; AFP 9 Sept. 1997; Xinhua 19 Sept. 1997; AFP 21 Oct. 1997; ibid. 19 Nov. 1997; ibid. 21 Nov. 1997; Xinhua 11 Dec. 1997; ibid. 9 Mar. 1998; AFP 9 Mar. 1998; ibid. 13 Mar. 1998; ibid. 14 Mar. 1998; Xinhua 25 Apr. 1998; AFP 26 Apr. 1998; AP 29 Apr. 1998). Xinhua News Agency reported in 1997 that the army used fighter planes and Cobra helicopters during the military operations (Xinhua 31 Mar. 1997; ibid. 11 Dec. 1997; see also DPA 12 June 1997;).

Only one news report made specific reference to armed clashes between the PKK and the military in Kigi, which resulted in the death of 16 PKK members (AFP 17 Mar. 1997).

In March 1998, Agence France Presse (AFP) stated that the fighting between the PKK and the military had subsided in the preceding months in south-eastern Turkey due to the winter conditions (9 Mar. 1998). However, over a period of one week in mid-March 1998, the military reportedly killed 78 PKK members in Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Tunceli and Bingol (AFP 14 Mar. 1998).

In late April 1998, over 40,000 military troops were deployed in Bingol province, among other provinces in eastern and south-eastern Turkey for an offensive operation against the PKK (AFP 29 Apr. 1998). It was identified as "the largest Turkish army offensive since fighting started in 1984" (ibid.; see also AP 29 Apr. 1998). In the first week of that military operation, reportedly 38 PKK members were killed in the mountainous area between Bingol and Diyarbakir (Turkish Daily News 30 Apr. 1998).

In July 1997, Xinhua News Agency reported that since 1978, 18,000 PKK members, 4,209 military personnel and 4,245 civilians were killed in "armed clashes and raids" in eastern and south-eastern Turkey (total 26,454) (19 July 1997). AFP reported in September 1997 that over 26,000 people have been killed in PKK-related violence since 1984 (9 Sept. 1997). By the end of April 1998, Xinhua News Agency reported, over 35,000 army personnel, PKK members and civilians had been killed (25 Apr. 1998), AFP reported that over 29,000 people had died (29 Apr. 1998) and Associated Press (AP) reported that approximately 37,000 people had died (29 Apr. 1998).

Additional information on human rights violations committed by the Turkish military against civilians living in the Bingol province, particularly in the Kigi district between November 1996 and April 1998 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 29 April 1998. "35 Kurdish Rebels Killed in Largest Turkish Offensive Since 1984." (Dialog)

_____. 24 April 1998. "Kurdish Separatist Party '95 Percent Dismantled': Army." (Dialog)

_____. 26 April 1998. "Turkish Troops Kill 31 Kurdish Rebels, Lose Three Soldiers." (Dialog)

_____. 24 March 1998. "Turkey Extends State of Emergency in Six Provinces." (Dialog)

_____. 14 March 1998. "Turkish Forces Kill 38 Kurdish Rebels in Three Days." (Dialog)

_____. 13 March 1998. "Turkish Army Kills 34 Kurdish Rebels (Updates with Higher Death Toll)." (Dialog)

_____. 9 March 1998. "Turkish Troops Kill 40 Rebels Kurds (Adds Army Losses)." (Dialog)

_____. 21 November 1997. "Turkish Army Kills 10 Rebel Kurds." (Dialog)

_____. 19 November 1997. "Turkish Army Kills 11 Rebel Kurds." (Dialog)

_____. 21 October 1997. "Turkish Army Kills 15 Rebel Kurds, Lose One Member." (Dialog)

_____. 9 September 1997. "Turkish Army Says 30 Kurdish Rebels Killed." (Dialog)

_____. 12 May 1997. "Turkish Army Kills 30 Rebel Kurds Amid Air Attacks (Updates with Clashes in Turkey." (Dialog)

_____. 27 April 1997. "Nineteen Kurds and Five Turkish Military Killed." (Dialog)

_____. 22 April 1997. "Turkish Army Kills 19 Rebel Kurds." (Dialog)

_____. 17 March 1997. "More Than 20 Kurdish Rebels Said Killed by Security Forces." (Dialog)

_____. 30 January 1997. "Turkish Army Kills 39 Kurdish Rebels in Eastern Offensive." (Dialog)

Anatolia. 23 June 1997. "Turkey: Security Forces Kill 51 'Terrorists' in Southeast in 2 Days." (FBIS-TOT-97-174 24 June 1997/WNC)

Associated Press (AP). 29 April 1998. "39,500 Turkish Soldiers Chase Kurdish Rebels in Turkey." (Dialog)

_____. 3 October 1997. "Turkey Lifts Emergency Rule from Three Kurdish Provinces." (Dialog)

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 12 June 1997. "Turkish Army Launches Large-Scale Attack Against Kurds." (NEXIS)

EIU ViewsWire. 13 October 1997. "Turkey Politics: Battered Kurds." (Dialog)

Turkish Daily News [Ankara]. 30 April 1998. "Military Further Clamps Down on PKK in Southeast." (Dialog)

United States (US). 24 October 1996. Department of State. Hellenic Resources Network. "Turkey - Consular Information Sheet." http://www.hri.org/docs/USSD-Travel/Turkey.96-180.html [Accessed 16 Aug. 2004]

Xinhua News Agency. 25 April 1998. "31 Kurdish Rebels Killed in Southeastern Turkey." (Dialog)

_____. 9 March 1998. "40 Kurdish Rebels Killed in Southeastern Turkey." (Dialog)

_____. 11 December 1997. "17 PKK Rebels Killed in Southeastern Turkey." (Dialog)

_____. 19 September 1997. "20 Kurdish Rebels Killed in Southeastern Turkey." (Dialog)

_____. 9 September 1997. "30 PKK Rebels Killed in Southeastern Turkey." (Dialog)

_____. 19 July 1997. "33 Kurdish Rebels Killed in Turkey." (Dialog)

_____. 31 March 1997. "Some 120 PKK Rebels Killed in March." (Dialog)

Internet sites, including: Al Bawaba, Amnesty International (AI), BBC, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Human Rights Association of Turkey, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), Organization of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People (MAZLUMDER), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Turkish Word.