Karakocan Attack (1993)

The Karakocan attack occurred on 24 October 1993 in the district of Karakocan, located in Elazig Province, Turkey. This incident was part of the ongoing Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present), involving an assault by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on Turkish gendarmerie personnel and civilian infrastructure in the area.

Karakocan attack (1993)
Part of the Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present)
Date 24 October 1993 Location Karakocan, Elazig Province, Turkey Result PKK tactical success
Belligerents
Turkey	PKK
Commanders and leaders
Turkey Veli Küçük	Şemdin Sakık
Strength
Turkey ~30 gendarmerie personnel	50–70 militants
Casualties and losses
Turkey 9 killed, 15 wounded	5 killed

Background

Throughout the 1990s, the Kurdish–Turkish conflict escalated, with the PKK intensifying attacks in southeastern Turkey. The region, predominantly Kurdish, was under heavy military presence due to PKK activities. Karakocan, a small district in Elazig Province, became a strategic point for both PKK and Turkish forces because of its proximity to mountainous terrain often used by militants for cover and movement.

In 1993, tensions in the region peaked as the PKK targeted state institutions to weaken Turkish control. The Karakocan attack was part of a broader PKK strategy aimed at disrupting government operations and creating zones of influence.

The attack

On the night of 24 October 1993, a group of approximately 50–70 PKK militants launched a coordinated assault on Karakocan. The attackers targeted several key locations, including:

• The district gendarmerie outpost
• The local government building
• Communication infrastructure

The assault began with mortar and small arms fire directed at the gendarmerie outpost, followed by a direct ground assault. The militants used the cover of darkness and the region's rugged terrain to their advantage, managing to infiltrate parts of the town.

Commanders

• Turkey: Turkey Veli Küçük, a senior officer in the Turkish Gendarmerie, oversaw the defense of the area.
• PKK: Şemdin Sakık, a prominent PKK commander, led the attack.

Casualties

The attack resulted in significant casualties:

• Turkish forces: Turkey 9 gendarmerie personnel killed, 15 wounded
• PKK militants: 5 killed
• Civilians: 12 killed

Aftermath

Following the attack, Turkish security forces launched a counter-operation in the surrounding mountains, attempting to track and neutralize the PKK group responsible. The assault highlighted the PKK's capability to strike in relatively secure areas and led to an increase in military deployments in Elazig Province.

The attack also intensified public outcry in Turkey, prompting the government to adopt harsher measures against PKK militants and suspected collaborators in the region.

See also

• Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present)

Biblography

• White, Paul (2015). The PKK: Coming Down from the Mountains. Zed Books. pp. 120–122. ISBN 9781783600373.
• Marcus, Aliza (2007). Blood and Belief: The PKK and the Kurdish Fight for Independence. NYU Press. pp. 211–213. ISBN 9780814795873.