"The Enemy Lost 8,439 Men..."

ARGK Balance Of The War In Kurdistan - 1997

On January 1, 1998, the Press Office of the Headquarters of the
People's Liberation Army of Kurdistan (ARGK) released its balance
for the war in Kurdistan in 1997:

     From the period of January 1, 1997 to January 1, 1998, there
were a total of 2,306 armed clashes between the ARGK, the Turkish
military, and KDP peshmergas. The ARGK carried out 540 ambushes
and 216 raids on enemy targets. There were also 24 attacks, 451
firefights, 97 acts of sabotage, 98 roadblocks, and 272 other
actions. The results of 1,542 of the total 2,306 clashes are
mostly or partially known to the ARGK. The results of the other
764 clashes are unknown. The enemy lost a total of 8,439 men. The
Turkish military lost 74 officers, 2,759 soldiers, and 78 police
agents. Among the 2,713 collaborators killed were 597 village
guards and 78 KDP commanders. The number of enemies wounded was
more than double the total killed.
     During the year, 5 helicopters, including 2 Super Cobra
attack helicopters, were shot down and 315 military vehicles were
destroyed. Another 6 military vehicles were confiscated by our
forces.
     The Turkish military carried out 615 air raids in South and
North Kurdistan. The Turkish military carried out 262 operations.
Our forces lost 986 heroic guerrilla fighters.
     Our forces confiscated the following weapons and equipment:

* 21 20-mm anti-aircraft cannons,
* 18 mortars and grenade launchers,
* 82 heavy machineguns,
* 86 heavy rocket launchers,
* 14 light rocket launchers,
* 14 MG-3 machineguns,
* 401 handgrenades,
* 609 AK-47 Kalaschnikow assault rifles,
* 145 G-3 rifles,
* 78 radios,
* 241 mines,
* 485 rockets,
* 6 mine detectors.

People's Liberation Army of Kurdistan (ARGK)
January 1, 1998

(Source: Kurdistan-Rundbrief, No.3, Vol.11, 10.2.1998)