Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — The Turkish intelligence community has changed its assessment that the
Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) was withdrawing its fighters from the country for neighboring Iraq and
Syria.

Instead, in the latest assessment, the intelligence community
asserted that the PKK left the lion’s share of its operatives in Turkey.

“Now they [PKK] say that the withdrawal is completed,” Prime Minister Recep Erdogan said. “There is no such thing.”

In a television interview on Aug. 22, Erdogan cited the assessment of the intelligence community regarding the extent of the PKK withdrawal from Turkey. He said 20 percent of PKK fighters have left the country as
their leadership renewed threats against Ankara.

“I recently said that the 15 percent increased to 20 percent,” Erdogan said. “We are following this with our intelligence and others.”

The latest intelligence assessment differed from those released as late
as July. At the time, the government was told that more than 50 percent
of PKK fighters left Turkey, most of them for northern Iraq.

Erdogan demanded that the PKK disarm before negotiations for Kurdish
rights in Turkey. He said Turkish military and security force operations
against Kurdish insurgents would continue.

“It is out of question for us to bargain with anyone right now,” Erdogan
told Ulke television. “We will never end the operation in this country
unless the arms are laid down.”

  Kurdish Workers Party, Recep Erodgan, Turkish intel now says most Kurdish fighters never left for Iraq