PKK Remains in the Mountains

Hopes are starting to fade that the new partial amnesty law designed to bring PKK separatist militants down from the mountains will yield any results, government sources told the Turkish Daily News. A high ranking government official who asked not to be named said in fact the government did not expect any outstanding results from this amnesty but stressed it was legislated to give the Americans a chance to see if the PKK terrorists holed up in the mountains would give themselves up. It has been nearly two weeks since the partial amnesty law billed as the “winning back to society” legislation was enacted and there is only a handful of PKK militants who have given themselves up. Only two of them came from northern Iraq while at least 5,000 are said to be hiding in the Kandil Mountains bordering Iraq. Another 10,000 PKK sympathizers who have sought refuge in the Mahmour Camp also seem reluctant to return to Turkey and benefit from the law. According to the law those who have not been involved in any terrorist activity will be questioned and released to live a normal life. The law also provides serious reductions in jail terms for those involved in terrorist activity. More than 900 PKK militants currently in prison have asked to benefit from the pardon. Despite the pardon most PKK militants have opted not to come down from the mountains. It is said the PKK leadership is dissuading the militants. Full Story