Integrating local populace to the security system in countering insurgent terrorism: The case of security guards in Turkish republic's fight against PKK

One of the important issues at debate in the long struggle of Republic of Turkey's fight against PKK terrorist organisation is the security guards system. Many similar practices had been used against terrorist organisations across the world. In this study, I tried to answer the question of how security guards system has emerged in Turkey's fight against PKK terrorism. Using process tracing method, I tried to explore casual mechanisms behind hypoteses taken from the theories in the literature, which security guards system is a typical case of. Taking into account the strategy of PKK and the geographical conditions of the region, it is concluded that the security guards system is a vital measure for securing the rural areas.