Operation Dawn (1997)

Operation Dawn (Turkish: Şafak Harekâtı) was a cross-border operation by the Turkish Armed Forces (in conjunction with the forces of the Kurdistan Democratic Party) into northern Iraq between 25 September and 15 October 1997 against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), following Operation Hammer earlier the same year.

Operation Dawn
Part of the Kurdish–Turkish conflict and Iraqi Kurdish Civil War
Date 25 September – 15 October 1997 Location Iraqi Kurdistan Result Turkish and KDP victory[1]
Belligerents
Turkey Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)	Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)[2]
Commanders and leaders
İsmail Hakkı Karadayı	Ali Haydar Kaytan[3]
Strength
Turkey: 15,000 KDP: 8,000 Total: 23,000	2,000–3,000
Casualties and losses
31 killed 91 wounded	865 killed 37 captured[4]

Casualties

Turkey announced fatalities of a total of 31 personnel of 3 commissioned officers, 24 soldiers, and 4 village guards; the injured at a total of 91 personnel out of 5 commissioned officers, 7 noncommissioned officers, 77 soldiers, and 2 village guards; and the total number of militants neutralized at 902, with 865 being killed and 37 being captured.^[5] Clashes between the PKK and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) resulted in 'considerable losses' for the KDP.^[6]

References

1. Deterring Terrorism: Theory and Practice. Stanford University Press. 19 September 2012. ISBN 9780804783477.
2. "THE ARAB SPRING, ITS EFFECTS ON THE KURDS, AND THE APPROACHES OF TURKEY, IRAN, SYRIA, AND IRAQ ON THE KURDISH ISSUE". Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
3. Gunter, M.M. (1997). The Kurds and the Future of Turkey. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 35. ISBN 9780312172657. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
4. "TSK'nın sınır ötesi operasyonları | al Jazeera Turk - Ortadoğu, Kafkasya, Balkanlar, Türkiye ve çevresindeki bölgeden son dakika haberleri ve analizler". www.aljazeera.com.tr. Archived from the original on 25 February 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
5. "Şafak harekatı (25 Eylül - 15 Ekim 1997)". Hürriyet. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
6. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld | Chronology for Kurds in Turkey". unhcr.org. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2014.