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Next week is spring break for DoD schools in Europe. That means it's time for the travel advisories. The latest batch includes France (youth riots) Italy (election-related demonstrations anticipated) and Turkey:
Protests have erupted into violence between Kurdish KGK sympathizers and Turkish police forces. The clashes have been predominantly in the Diyarbakir area and surrounding cities.If the Kurds had their own nation, it might look something like this:
That's the home region of the ethnic Kurds - northern Iraq, a slice of Syria, a swath of Iran, and a large chunk of Turkey. Politics in the region are complex - Byzantine even. There are competing political factions in Iraqi Kurdistan. In the past, one faction was aided militarily by Iran but both groups have thus far united in building the post-Saddam Kurdish northern Iraq.
Meanwhile, Kurdish separatist groups are active to varying degrees in Iran, Syria and Turkey. And the dream of a united Kurdistan is not at all dead, though currently the Iraqi Kurds appear to be willing to be part of a federated Iraq.
Needless to say, Syria, Turkey, and Iran have concerns with developments. And the United States is an obvious factor - use your imagination and you'll probably grasp the possibilities, good and bad. Bear in mind we are allied with Turkey (have military installations there) and have less cordial relations with Syria and Iran.
That's a simplified overview. The future possibilities are endless.
For now the US State Department offers this caution:
This Public Announcement is issued to alert Americans to ongoing security concerns in Turkey. Violent clashes involving security forces and sympathizers of the PKK terrorist organization are ongoing in the town of Diyarbakir in southeastern Turkey and in surrounding areas including Batman, Sirnak, and Sanliurfa. The main tourist areas of Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, and the coastal regions currently are not affected by these clashes, but the unrest has the potential to spread to these regions as well. This Public Announcement expires on April 30, 2006.Furthermore:Recent violent clashes leading to several deaths, many injuries, and the destruction of property have occurred in Diyarbakir, an area frequented by travelers to and from the Turkey/Iraq border. Roads to the airport have been closed periodically in the last several days and many businesses and schools are closed. Police and military forces have responded to large crowds of people by using tear gas, high-pressure water, and firearms. Tanks and other heavily armored vehicles have been brought into the area in response to the violence.
Travelers who normally use the airport in Diyarbakir on their way into or out of Iraq should instead consider using Mardin airport near Turkey’s border with Syria.So if that was in your kids' spring break plans you may want to have them adjust accordingly.
More on the PKK here, here, and here.
And if you haven't read Michael Totten's incredible series of reports from northern Iraq, read the entries on this page and the lower half of this one.
