This dyad belongs to the conflict Turkey: Government
Summary of conflict Turkey: Government
The Government of Turkey has faced violence by leftist groups that struggled for a change in government and social systems. Fighting with two of these rebel groups resulted in over 25 battle-related deaths a year, namely Devrimci Sol (Revolutionary Left) during 1991 and 1992 and MKP (Maoist Komunist Partisi; Maoist Communist Party) in 2005. In the early 2000s, TAK (Teyrêbazên Azadiya Kurdistan; Kurdistan Freedom Falcons) emerged, following Öcalan and violently opposing what they considered the Turkish government’s fascist treatment of the ethnic Kurds in the southeast of the country. With their bomb actions of vengeance, they frequently stated in the initial years of activity that they wanted “to turn Turkey into hell.” TAK has targeted tourist areas and government posts in urban areas and became an active conflict dyad for the first time in 2016. The same year the Yurtta Sulh Konseyi (Peace at Home Council) tried to take control of the government in a coup attempt causing the death of nearly 300 people.
Background to the conflict
During the mid-1970s, there was an increase in the number of people engaged in militant leftist groups in Turkey. One reason for this was the 1974 release of thousands of young militants that had been detained in 1971 when the military took action to stop an outbreak of leftist violence. Another reason was the high number of young university applicants for whom there were no university places available. These factors, and a high level of unemployment, drew many young people into the ranks of left- and right-wing militant groups. One group that emerged out of the popular leftist organizations was Devrimci Sol (Dev Sol, Revolutionary Left).
Devrimci Sol challenged the Turkish government and aimed to change the social system through a Marxist-Leninist style revolution. Dev Sol had its roots in Türkiye Halk Kurtulus Partisi-Cepheci (THKP-C), which was founded by Mahir Çayan in 1971, and in an offshoot to THKP-C called Dev Yol (founded in 1977). Dev Sol came into operation in 1978 and lasted until early 1993 when it split into two factions: the Dev Sol-Bedri Yagan faction and the Dev Sol-Dursun Karatas faction. In 1994, the Bedri Yagan faction became known as DHKP-C, and the Bedri Yagan faction turned into THKP-C. The first faction is the one most often referred to as the successor to Devrimci Sol. The latter group was named THKP-C after the above-mentioned party that Devrimci Sol originated from in 1978. The new THKP-C, however, was split into two factions in 2001: one was called Devrimci Cizgi (Revolutionary Line), and the other reverted to the earlier name Devrimci Sol.
1991-1992: Devrimci Sol fights against the government
Though it is likely that armed force was used in the interaction between the government and Devrimci Sol before 1980, it was not until the killing of a former Prime Minister in Istanbul, and a former minister in Ankara in 1980, that it could be confirmed that Devrimci Sol had resorted to an armed struggle. This struggle was intensified at the beginning of the 1990s during the Gulf War when Devrimci Sol started a violent campaign against government and security representatives, as well as "American imperialists" on Turkish soil. On 13 July 1991, the Istanbul police conducted several raids on Devrimci Sol hideouts. Eleven Devrimci Sol militants were killed during the ensuing gun-battles, and the conflict reached the 25 battle-related deaths threshold in 1991.
The police in Istanbul and Ankara bore the brunt of the conflict with Devrimci Sol. Counting only the police in Istanbul, the government out-manned Devrimci Sol by approximately 200:1. Counting also the total armed forces of Turkey, the figure was 6000:1. No secondary warring parties were reported, and it was difficult to confirm secondary support during 1991-1992, as well. The fact that Devrimci Sol committed 75% of all terror-related killings of American citizens during 1991, a year when the US had thousands of troops deployed in Turkey, makes it probable that the US cooperated with Turkey against Devrimci Sol, though the extent of American support is unclear. In April 1992, the intelligence agencies of Turkey and Syria signed a security cooperation protocol that was implemented during 1992 and 1993.
Devrimci Sol has reportedly cooperated with Palestinian organizations since the late 1970s, and in 1991 militants trained in Lebanon's Syrian-held Bekaa Valley. It has also been claimed that Devrimci Sol cooperated with the PKK during 1991. Most reports cannot be positively confirmed, thus leaving Syria and Palestinian organizations as the only secondary parties supporting Devrimci Sol.
There have been no negotiations or even rumors of talks between the parties of the conflict. The government focused on letting the police hunt down the leftist militants resulting in a marked decrease in the number of active Devrimci Sol members that could continue to perpetrate violent acts. The use of armed force was hence terminated by low activity after 1992.
2005: MKP fights against the government
In 2005, a new leftist group fighting the government reached the level for inclusion, MKP (Maoist Komünist Partisi; Maoist Communist Party). There are different versions of how the group formed. Some say it was established in 2002 when the outlawed TIKKO (Turkish Workers' and Peasants' Liberation Army), violently active in the Tunceli area from the 1970s through the 1990s, was disbanded. Other sources state that in January 2003, TKP/ML (Turkish Communist Party/Marxist-Leninist) announced that it was changing its name to MKP with TIKKO changing its name to HKO (the Peoples Liberation Army). It is unclear whether this name change is indicative of any broader operational or ideological shift.
The TKP/ML was founded in 1972 by Ibrahim Kaypakkaya, an active member of the Turkish left when he broke away from TIIKP (Turkish Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Party), a subgroup of the broad Turkish Communist movement. TIKKO has been the military wing of TKP/ML (Turkish Communist Party/Marxist-Leninist) and is among the multiple communist extremist groups operating within Turkey. Like most Turkish leftist groups, the TKP/ML-TIKKO couched its anti-government and anti-Western rhetoric and activities within a broader socialist revolutionary context. The group has also long been an advocate of the Kurdish independence movement.
The governmental conflict in Turkey was not active in 2006 since there were no battle-related deaths during the year with the Turkish government and the MKP.
2016: TAK and (Yurtta Sulh Konseyi) YSK fight against the government
In 2016 the conflict between the Government of Turkey - TAK became active for the first time due to two deadly bombings targeting government posts in urban areas – one in Ankara in February causing the death of 29 people and one in Istanbul in December causing the death of 44. In the late evening of 15 July 2016, a faction within the Turkish armed forces, operating under the name of Yurtta Sulh Konseyi (Peace at Home Council) tried to take control of the government, state institutions, national media and key points of communication in the country. The coup-makers announced on national television that they had seized control and was governing Turkey. However, they were later defeated by forces loyal to the state. Around 300 people died, and many government buildings, including the Parliament and Presidential Palace, were damaged.
