Operation Northern Iraq

This article is about the 1992 event. For the 2008 event, see 2008 Turkish incursion into northern Iraq.

Operation Northern Iraq Turkish: Kuzey Irak Harekâtı
Part of the Turkey-PKK conflict
Date 5 October - 15 November 1992 Location Iraqi Kurdistan Result KRG-PKK cease-fire. 2 captured Turkish soldiers released by PKK All routes between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan re-opened End of KRG military operations against the PKK Continued PKK presence in Northern Iraq Continued Turkey-PKK conflict
Belligerents
Turkey  Iraqi Kurdistan	Kurdistan Workers Party
Commanders and leaders
Doğan Güreş Nawshirwan Mustafa	Osman Öcalan[1]
Strength
20,000[2]	8,000 (estimated)[3]
Casualties and losses
28 killed, 125 wounded, 2 captured (Turkish claim)	1,551 killed[4] 2,700 injured[3] 1,232 captured by Turkish forces[4] (Turkish claim) 2,000 captured by KDP forces[3] (Barzani claim) 150 killed[3] (PKK claim)

Operation Northern Iraq (Turkish: Kuzey Irak Harekâtı) was a cross-border operation by the Turkish Armed Forces into North of Iraq between 5 October and 15 November 1992 against the Kurdistan Workers Party which is listed as a terrorist organization internationally by a number of states and organizations, including the USA, NATO and the EU.^[5] More than 37,000 people have been killed in the Turkish-PKK conflict since 1984.^[6]

Prelude

On April 8, 1992, Iraqi Kurdish leaders agreed to stop the PKK's raids into Turkey, fromout their territory, in an attempt to create good relations with Turkey.^[7][3] In response, the PKK cut supply roots from Turkey to Iraqi Kurdistan on July 31.^[7][3] To re-open the supply roots, Peshmerga loyal to the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (Iraqi Kurdistan's ruling parties), started an offensive on October 4 to drive the PKK from Northern Iraq.^[3][7]

The Operation

On August 6, the Turkish Air Force launched air raids to support Iraqi Kurdish forces in their offensive against the PKK. After the air raids, Turkey launched an operation against the PKK, using 20,000 ground troops, backed by tanks, helicopters and aircraft. It was estimated the PKK had over 8,000 fighters in the region. Turkey claimed to have killed and captured nearly 3 thousand PKK fighters and wounded 2,700 by November 5, with over 1,000 surrendering to Iraqi Kurdish forces, a number which rose to 1,400 by 12 November. In mid-November Turkish forces started to withdraw after claiming to have reduced the PKK's fighting force to a mere 2,500. The PKK acknowledged only 150 casualties.^[7][3]

On November 17, the Kurdistan Regional Government and the PKK reached a truce accord under which the PKK would re-open all routes to Turkey and release 2 captured Turkish soldiers.^[3]

Casualties

Turkey announced fatalities at a total of 28 personnel made out of 1 commissioned officer, 3 noncommissioned officers, 22 soldiers and 2 village guards. Turkey announced the injured at a total of 125 personnel made out of 12 commissioned officers 16 noncommissioned officers, 93 soldiers, and 4 village guards. Turkey announced the total number of militants neutralized at a total of 2,783 with 1,551 being killed and 1,232 being captured.^[4]

References

1. ^ Kurdistan - Turkey
2. ^ Europa World Year Book 2004 (page 4226)
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Chronology for Kurds in Turkey
4. ^ ^{a b c} "Kuzey Irak harekatı (5 Ekim - 15 Kasım 1992)". Hürriyet. http://fotoanaliz.hurriyet.com.tr/GaleriDetay.aspx?cid=6755&p=1&rid=4369. Retrieved 2007-10-11. 
5. ^ "Council Decision", Council of the European Union, December 21, 2005
6. ^ "Kurdish rebels kill Turkey troops". BBC News. 2007-04-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6537751.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-20. 
7. ^ ^{a b c d} [1]