The Offensive Tactics of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Turkey in 2004–2011

Abstract

A major representative of Kurdish nationalism in Turkey, the KurdistanWorkers’ Party (PKK) renewed its violent activities while ending a ceasefirethat lasted for almost five years in 2004. The nature of its armed struggle isin many aspects different from that of the period of 1984–1999. The issue ofthe Kurdish question in Turkey has been once again becoming increasinglydynamic in the last years, and the violent manifestations connected withthis issue have been increasing as well. The presented case study deals withthe offensive tactics of the PKK during its armed struggle in Turkey in theperiod from 2004 to 2011. The activities of the PKK are framed in theconcept of insurgency. The analysis is focused on a description andinterpretation of the nature of the PKK’s offensive operations. On the basisof the analysis of the operational level of the PKK’s activities, the pursuedinsurgent tactics are identified. The PKK pursues and combines four kindsof typical insurgency tactics – provocation, intimidation, protraction, andexhaustion, with the first two being the most important. In the backgroundof the PKK’s campaign, we can observe that the PKK plans and times itsoperations very carefully. At the same time the PKK focuses on getting andmaintaining popular support for itself.