View source for User:Tygerpencil/Test Basque conflict

{{infobox military conflict
| conflict    = Basque Conflict
| partof      = the [[history of Spain]]
|image=[[Image:Basque conflict.jpg]]
|caption=Clockwise, starting at top left: ETA members at the [[Euzko Gudarostea|2006 Gudari Eguna]] in [[Oiartzun]], [[Guipúzcoa]]; the [[2006 Madrid Barajas International Airport bombing|Madrid Airport bombing]]; a demonstration against ETA in Madrid; pro-ETA graffiti in [[Pasaia]].
| date        = 1959-present
| place       = [[Spain]], [[France]]
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| status      = Ongoing
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}}

The '''Basque Conflict''' conflict, also known as the '''Spain-ETA conflict''', is an armed conflict between the [[Spain|Spanish state]] and the [[Basque National Liberation Movement]], a group of social and political [[Basque nationalism|Basque]] organizations which seek [[separatism|independence]] from [[Spain]] and [[France]]. The movement is build around the armed organization [[ETA]], considered by some as a terrorist organization<ref name="eu_list">
{{cite web
| title      = European Union list of terrorist organizations
| url        = http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_144/l_14420060531en00250029.pdf
| work       = Official Journal of the European Union
| date       = 2006
| accessdate = 2010-07-31
}}
</ref><ref name=fto>
{{cite web
| title      = Foreign Terrorist Organizations 
| url        = http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/other/des/123085.htm 
| work       = Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism 
| date       = October 15, 2010
| accessdate = 2010-06-17
}}
</ref>, which since 1959 has launched a campaign of attacks against Spanish administrations. The conflict takes place mostly in Spanish soil, although in a smaller degree it is also present in France, and it's the longest ongoing violent conflict in [[Western Europe]].<ref name="basque_conflict_gorka">
{{cite web
| title      = The Basque Conflict: New ideas and Prospects for Peace
| url        = http://www.usip.org/files/resources/sr161.pdf 
| work       = Gorka Espiau Idoiaga
| date       = April 2006
| accessdate = 2010-07-29
}}
</ref> It has been sometimes referred to as "Europe's longest war".<ref name="bbcnews_war">
{{cite web
| title      = Eyewitness: ETA's shadowy leaders 
| url        = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/545414.stm
| work       = news.bbc.co.uk
| date       = December 2, 1999
| accessdate = 2010-10-29
}}
</ref>

The conflict has both political and military dimensions. Its participants include politicians and political activists on both sides, the [[abertzale|abertzale left]] and the Spanish government, and the security forces of Spain and France fighting against ETA and other small organizations, usually involved in the [[kale borroka]]. Far-right paramilitary groups fighting against ETA were also active in the 1980s.

Although the debate on the [[Basque nationalism|Basque independence]] started in the [[19th century]], the armed conflict did not start until ETA was created. Since then, the conflict has resulted in the death of more than 1,000 people, among them [[police officer|police]] and [[security officer]]s, civilians, politicians or ETA members. There have also been thousands of people injured, dozens kidnapped and at least 200,000 people are into exile.<ref name="casualities_total">
{{cite web
| title      = Datos significativos del conflicto vasco, 1968-2003
| url        = http://www.euskonews.com/0256zbk/gaia25604_01.html
| work       = Eusko News
| date       = 2003
| language   = Spanish
| accessdate = 2010-07-30
}}
</ref><ref name="exile_elmundo">
{{cite web
| title      = El Foro de Ermua culpa a Ibarretxe del exilio forzoso de 119.000 vascos
| url        = http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/02/26/espana/1109457574.html
| work       = [[El Mundo]]
| date       = February 26, 2005
| language   = Spanish
| accessdate = 2010-07-31
}}
</ref>

==Background==
{{Main|Basque nationalism}}
The [[Basque Country (greater region)|Basque Country]] ({{lang-eu|Euskal Herria}}) is the name given to the the geographic area located on the shores of the [[Bay of Biscay]] and on the two sides of the western [[Pyrenees]] that spans the border between France and Spain. Nowadays, this area is fragmented into three political structures: the [[Basque autonomous community]], also known as Euskadi, and [[Navarre]] in Spain, and three [[French provinces]] known as the [[Northern Basque Country]]. Approximately 3,000,000 people [[Basque Country (greater region)#Demographics|live in the Basque Country]].

[[Basque people]] have managed to preserve their own identifying characteristics such as their own [[Basque people#Culture|culture]] and [[Basque language|language]] throughout the centuries and today a large part of the population shares a collective consciousness and a [[Basque nationalism|desire to be self-governed]], either further political autonomy or full [[independence]]. Over the centuries, the Basque Country has maintained various levels of political [[self-governance]] under different Spanish political frameworks. Nowadays, Euskadi enjos the highest level of self-governance of any nonstate entity within the [[European Union]].<ref>{{cite news 
| title = Autonomy games, tensions with the regions ahead of next March's general election in Spain
| url = http://www.economist.com/node/9833306?story_id=9833306
| work = economist.com
| date = September 27, 2007
| accessdate = 2010-10-31}}</ref> However, tensions about the type of relationship the Basque territories should maintain with the Spanish authorities have existed since the origins of the Spanish state and in many cases have fuelled military confrontation, such as during the [[Carlist Wars]] and the [[Spanish Civil War]].

Following the [[1936]] [[coup d’état]] that overthrew the [[Second Spanish Republic|Spanish republican government]], a [[civil war]] between [[Nationalist Spain|nationalist]] and republican forces broke out. Nearly all Basque nationalist forces, lead by the [[Basque Nationalist Party]] (PNV) sided with the Republic, even though Basque nationalists in Álava and Navarre fought on the side of Spanish nationalists. The war ended with the victory of the nationalist forces, with General [[Francisco Franco]] establishing a dictatorship that lasted for almost four decades. During [[Spanish state|Franco's dictatorship]], Basque language and culture were banned, institutions and political organisations abolished, and people killed, tortured and imprisoned for their political beliefs. Thousands of Basques were forced to go on exile, usually to [[Latin America]] or [[France]].

Influenced by [[Wars of national liberation|wars of national liberation]] such as the [[Algerian War]] or by conflicts such as the [[Cuban Revolution]], and disappointed with the weak opposition of the PNV against Franco's regime, a young group of students formed ETA in 1959. It first started as an organization demanding the independence of the Basque Country, from a socialist and Marxist-Leninist position, and it soon started its [[List of ETA attacks|armed campaign]].

==Timeline==
ETA's first attacks were sometimes approved by a part of the Spanish and Basque societies, who saw ETA and the fight for the independence as a fight against the Franco administration. In 1970, several members of the organisation were condemned to death in the ''Proceso de [[Burgos]]'' (Trial of Burgos), although international pressure resulted in commutation of the death sentences.<ref>{{cite news 
| title = Carrero, Franco y ETA
| url = http://www.diariovasco.com/prensa/20061226/opinion/carrero-franco_20061226.html
| work = diariovasco.com
| language = Spanish
| date = December 26, 2006
| accessdate = 2010-10-31}}</ref> ETA slowly became more active and powerful, and in 1973 it was able to kill the [[Prime Minister of Spain|president of the Government]] and possible successor of Franco, [[Luis Carrero-Blanco, 1st Duke of Carrero-Blanco|Luis Carrero Blanco]]. From that moment on, the regime became harder with their struggle against ETA: many members died in shootouts with security forces and police carried out big raids, such as the arrest of hundreds of members of ETA in 1975, after the infiltration of [[Mikel Lejarza|a double agent]] inside the organisation.<ref>{{cite news 
| title = Entre la traición y la heroicidad
| url = http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cine/traicion/heroicidad/elpepuculcin/20041105elpepicin_4/Tes
| work = elpais.com
| language = Spanish
| date = November 5, 2004
| accessdate = 2010-10-31}}</ref> 

In mid 1975, a political bloc known as ''Koordinadora Abertzale Sozialista'' (KAS) was created by Basque nationalist organisations. Away from the PNV, the bloc comprised several organisations formed by people contrary to the [[Far-right politics|right-wing]] Franco's regime and most of them had their origins in several factions of ETA, which was part of the bloc as well.<ref>{{cite news 
| title = ETA: la dictadura del terror, KAS
| url = http://www.elmundo.es/eta/entorno/kas.html
| work = elmundo.es
| language = Spanish
| date = 2009
| accessdate = 2010-10-31}}</ref>  They also adopted the same ideology as the armed organisation, socialism. The creation of KAS would mean the beginning of of the Basque National Liberation Movement.

In November 1975, Franco died and Spain started [[Spanish transition to democracy|its transition to democracy]]. Many Basque activists and politicians returned from exile, although some Basque organisations were not legalized as it had happened with other Spanish organisations.<ref name="gara_oct2010">{{cite news 
| title = Siempre acosados pero más vivos que nunca
| url = http://www.gara.net/paperezkoa/20101030/229233/es/Siempre-acosados-pero-mas-vivos-que-nunca
| work = gara.net
| language = Spanish
| date = October 30, 2010
| accessdate = 2010-10-31}}</ref> On the other side, the death of Franco elevated [[Juan Carlos I]] to the throne, and chose [[Adolfo Suárez]] as president of the [[Government of Spain|Spanish Goverment]]. Following the approval of the [[Spanish constitution]] in 1978, a [[Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country|Statute of Autonomy]] was promulgated and approved in referendum. The Basque Country was organized as an [[Autonomous Communities of Spain|Autonomous Community]]. 
[[File:Altsasuko Mahaia (1978).jpg|thumb|right|310px|The Alsasua meeting is considered to be the beginning of Herri Batasuna and the Abertzale left]]
Although the new Spanish constitution had an overwhelming support around Spain, it was rejected in the Basque Country.<ref>{{cite news 
| title = The Basque nationalist movement
| url = http://www.yale.edu/macmillan/globalization/basque.pdf
| work = yale.edu
| date = November 1, 2002
| accessdate = 2010-10-31}}</ref> This was due to the creation of a coalition of Abertzale left organisations brought together to advocate for "no" in the [[Spanish constitutional referendum, 1978|referendum]], as they felt that the constitution did not meet their demands for independence. The coalition was the beginning of the political party [[Batasuna|Herri Batasuna]], which would become the main political front of the Basque National Liberation Movement. The coalition had its origins in another one made two years before, named ''Mesa de [[Alsasua]]''.<ref name="gara_oct2010"/> ETA also felt that the constitution was unsatisfactory and intensified their armed campaign: 1978, 1979 and 1981 were ETA's bloodiest years with more than 230 people killed. At the same time, several far-right armed organisations fighting against ETA and its supporters were created, and at least 40 people were killed in attacks blamed at organisations such as the [[Batallón Vasco Español]] and [[Guerrilleros de Cristo Rey]]. Although not related to the Basque conflict, one of these organisations carried out the famous [[1977 Massacre of Atocha]]. 

Also in the late 1970s, several Basque nationalist organisations, such as [[Iparretarrak]], Hordago or Euskal Zuzentasuna, started to operate in the French Basque Country. An anarchist breakaway of ETA, [[Comandos Autónomos Anticapitalistas]], also started carrying out attacks around the Basque Country. A similar, but smaller, organisation as ETA, [[Terra Lliure]], appeared demanding independence for the [[Països Catalans|Catalan Countries]]. The Basque conflict has always had an influence on the Catalan society and politics, due to the similarities between Catalonia and the Basque Country.

During the process of electing [[Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo, 1st Marquis of la Ría de Ribadeo|Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo]] as Spain's new president in February 1981, [[Antonio Tejero|Civil Guards]] and [[Spanish Army|army members]] broke into the [[Congress of Deputies (Spain)|Congress of Deputies]] and held all deputies at gunpoint. One of the reasons that led to the [[23-F|coup d'état]] was the increase of ETA's violence. The coup failed after the King called for the military powers to obey the Constitution. Days after the coup, ETA's faction [[ETA political-military|politiko-militarra]] started its disbanding, with most of its members joining [[Euskadiko Ezkerra]], a leftist nationalist party away from the Abertzale left. [[Spanish general election, 1982|General elections]] were held in 1982, and [[Felipe González]], from the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|Socialist Workers' Party]] became the new president, while Herri Batasuna won two seats. In the Basque Country, [[Carlos Garaikoetxea]] from the PNV became [[lehendakari]] in 1979. During those years, hundreds of members of Herri Batasuna were arrested, especially after some of them sang the [[Eusko Gudariak]] in front of Juan Carlos I.<ref name="gara_oct2010"/>

After Felipe González's victory, the [[Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación]] (GAL), death squads established by officials belonging to the Spanish government, were created. Using [[state terrorism]], the GAL carried out dozens of attacks around the Basque Country, killing 27 people. It targeted ETA and Herri Batasuna members, although sometimes civilians were also killed. The GAL were active from 1983 until 1987, a period referred to as the Spanish [[Dirty War]].<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www2.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/ediciones/2008/10/18/politica/euskadi/d18eus20.1310616.php
| title       = Las 27 víctimas de la vergüenza: la guerra sucia del GAL se prolongó durante cuatro duros años
| work        = noticiasdegipuzkoa.com
| date        = October 18, 2008
| language    = Spanish
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> ETA responded to the dirty war by intensifying its attacks: the organisations started carrying out massive car bomb attacks in [[Madrid]] and [[Barcelona]], such as the [[1987 Hipercor bombing|Hipercor bombing]]. After the attack, most of the Spanish and Basque political parties signed many pacts against ETA, such as the ''Madrid pact'' or the ''Ajuria-Enea pact''. It was during this time that Herri Batasuna got its best results: it was in the most voted for party in the [[Basque Country (autonomous community)|three Basque provinces]] for the [[European Parliament election, 1987 (Spain)|European Parliament elections]].<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.elecciones.mir.es/MIR/jsp/resultados/comunes/detalleResultado.jsp?tipoAmbito=1&tipoEleccion=6&cdEleccion=7&anio=1987&mes=6&numVuelta=1&nombreEleccion=Parlamento+Europeo&horaCierre=20:00&horaAvance1=14:00&horaAvance2=18:00&cdCCAA=99&cdProvincia=0&descripcion=total
| title       = Elecciones Parlamento Europeo Junio 1987 
| work   = elecciones.mir.es
| date        = 1987
| language    = Spanish
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>

While talks between the Spanish government and ETA had already taken place in the late 70s and early 80s, which had led to the dissolution of ETA (pm), it was not until 1989 that both sides held formal peace talks. In January, ETA announced a 60-day ceasefire, while negotiations between ETA and the government were taking place in [[Algiers]]. No successful conclusion was reached, and ETA resumed violence.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.elmundo.es/eta/negociaciones/gonzalez.html
| title       = Felipe González y las conversaciones de Argel
| work        = elmundo.es
| date        = 2009
| language    = Spanish
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>

After the end of the dirty war period, France agreed to cooperate with the Spanish authorities in the arrest and [[extradition]] of ETA members. These would often travel to and from between the two countries using France as a base for attacks and training. This cooperation reached its peak in 1992, with the arrest of all ETA leaders in the town of [[Bidart]]. The raid came months before the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Olympic Games]] in Barcelona, with which ETA tried to gather worldwide attention with massive attacks around Catalonia.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.expansion.com/especiales/20aniversario/20diasespana/eta.html
| title       = Bidart: la caída de la cúpula de ETA
| work        = expansion.com
| language    = Spanish
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> After that, ETA announced a two-months ceasefire, while they restructured the whole organisation and created the [[kale borroka]] groups.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.elmundo.es/cronica/2001/310/1001319590.html
| title       = «Txelis», el padre de la kale borroka 
| work        = elmundo.es/cronica
| date        = September 23, 2001
| language    = Spanish
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>

In 1995, ETA tried to kill [[José María Aznar]], who would become president of Spain one year later, and Juan Carlos I. That same year, the organisation launched a peace proposal, which was refused by the government. On the following year, ETA announced a one week ceasefire and tried to engage peace talks with the government, a proposal that was once again rejected by [[People's_Party_(Spain)#Aznar_Years_(1989-2004)|the new conservative government]].<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.elmundo.es/eta/negociaciones/treguas_eta.html
| title       = La dictadura del terror: Las treguas de ETA
| work        = elmundo.es/
| language    = Spanish
| date        = 2009
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> In 1997, the organisation kidnapped and killed young councillor [[Miguel Ángel Blanco]]. The killing produced a widespread rejection by Spanish and Basque societies, massive demonstrations and a loss of sympathisers, with even some ETA prisoners and members of Herri Batasuna condemning the killing.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/dia/todos/fuimos/Miguel/Angel/Blanco/elpepunac/20070708elpepinac_3/Tes
| title       = El día en que todos fuimos Miguel Ángel Blanco
| work        = elpais.com
| language    = Spanish
| date        = July 8, 2007
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> That same year, the Spanish government arrested 23 leaders of Herri Batasuna for allegedly collaborating with ETA. After the arrest, the government started to investigate Herri Batasuna's ties with ETA, and the coalition changed its name to Euskal Herritarrok, with [[Arnaldo Otegi]] as their leader.<ref name="rtve_politica">{{cite web
| url         = http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20090123/las-siglas-politicas-eta/730.shtml
| title       = Las siglas políticas de ETA
| work        = rtve.es
| date        = January 23, 2009
| language    = Spanish
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>

In the [[Basque parliamentary election, 1998|1998 Basque elections]], the Abertzale left got its best results since the 80s, and Euskal Herritarrok became the third main force in the Basque Country. This increase of support was due to the declaration of a ceasefire by ETA one month before the elections.<ref name="rtve_politica"/> The ceasefire came after Herri Batasuna and several Basque organisations, such as the PNV, which at that time was part of the PP's goverment, reached a pact, named ''[[Lizarra]] pact'',  aimed at putting pressure on the Spanish government to make further concessions towards the independence. Influenced by the [[Northern Ireland peace process]], ETA and the Spanish government engaged in peace talks, which ended in late 1999, after the government refused to discuss the armed organisation's demands for independence.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/nov2000/spa-n13.shtml
| title       = Spanish government clamps down on Basque separatist ETA
| work        = wsws.org
| date        = November 13, 2000
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>

In 2000, ETA resumed violence and intensified its attacks, specially against senior politicians, such as [[Ernest Lluch]]. At the same time, dozens of ETA members were arrested and the Abertzale left lost some of the support it had in the 1998 elections. The breaking of the truce provoked Herri Batasuna's dissolution and its reformation into a new party called Batasuna. Following disagreements over the internal organization of the Batasuna, a group of people broke away to form a separate political party, [[Aralar Party|Aralar]], present mainly in Navarre.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.aralar.net/aralar-partido/historia
| title       = Historia de Aralar
| work        = aralar.net
| language    = Spanish
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> In 2002, the Spanish goverment passed a law, named ''Ley de Partidos'' (Law of Parties), which allows the banning of any party that directly or indirectly condones terrorism or sympathises with a terrorist organisation. As ETA was considered a terrorist organisation and Batasuna did not condemn its actions, the government banned Batasuna in 2003. It was the first time since Franco's dictatorship that a political party had been banned in Spain.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2857437.stm
| title       = Batasuna banned permanently
| work        = news.bbc.co.uk
| date        = March 17, 2003
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> That same year, Spanish authorities closed the only newspaper in written fully Basque, [[Egunkaria]], due to allegations of links with ETA. Journalists were arrested and tortured, and recently in 2010 they have been acquitted on all charges. In 1998, another newspaper, [[Egin]], had already been closed.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.euskalherria.info/?q=es/node/1052
| title       = The Basque newspaper Egunkaria closed down by the Spanish government
| work        = euskalherria.info
| date        = February 21, 2003
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>
[[File:Repulsa atentado lazkao 2009.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Concentrations after every ETA attack are common around Spain]]
After the government falsely accused ETA of carrying out the [[2004 Madrid train bombings]], the conservative government lost the elections in favour of the Socialist Workers' Party, and [[José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero]] became the new president of Spain.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL16484708
| title       = Analysis - Spain's PM down but not out after ETA bomb
| work        = reuters.com
| date        = January 16, 2007
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> One of Zapatero's first actions was to engage in new peace talks with ETA. In mid 2006, the organisation [[ETA's 2006 ceasefire declaration|declared a ceasefire]], and conversations between Batasuna, ETA and the Basque and Spanish governments started. Peace talks ended in December, when ETA broke the truce with a [[2006 Madrid Barajas International Airport bombing|massive car bomb]] at the [[Madrid-Barajas Airport|Madrid-Barajas airport]]. ETA officially ended the ceasefire in 2007, and resumed its attacks around Spain.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11183574
| title       = Who are ETA?
| work        = bbc.co.uk/news
| date        = September 5, 2010
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> From that moment on, the Spanish government and police intensified their struggle both against ETA and the Abertzale left. Hundreds of members of the armed organisation were arrested since the end of the truce, with four of its leaders being arrested in less than one year. Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities banned more political parties such as [[Eusko Abertzale Ekintza|Basque Nationalist Action]]<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/09/16/spain.basque/index.html
| title       = Spain bans political party for ETA links
| work        = edition.cnn.com
| date        = September 16, 2009
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>, [[Communist Party of the Basque Homelands]] or [[D3M|Demokrazia Hiru Milioi]]. Youth organisations such as [[Segi]] have been banned, while members of [[trade union]]s, such as [[Langile Abertzaleen Batzordeak]] have also been arrested.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20091013/detienen-a-otegi-a-otros-nueve-dirigentes-otro-golpe-a-batasuna-sede-del-sindicato-lab/296175.shtml
| title       = Detienen a Otegi y a otros nueve dirigentes en otro golpe a Batasuna en la sede del sindicato LAB
| work        = rtve.es
| language    = Spanish
| date        = October 13, 2009
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>

In 2009 and 2010, ETA suffered even more blows to its organisation and capacity, with more than 50 members arrested in the first half of 2010.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20100821/cronologia-detenciones-presuntos-miembros-eta-2010/318594.shtml
| title       = Cronología de las detenciones de presuntos miembros de ETA en el 2010
| work        = rtve.es
| language    = Spanish
| date        = August 21, 2010
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref> At the same time, the banned Abertzale left started to develop documents and meetings, where they committed to a "democratic process" that "must be developed in a complete absence of violence". Due to these demands, ETA announced in September that they were [[ETA#2010_ceasefire|stopping their armed actions]].<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.ezkerabertzalea.info/irakurri.php?id=5032
| title       = The Abertzale Left about ETA’s announce to cease armed activities
| work        = ezkerabertzalea.info
| date        = September 13, 2010
| accessdate  = 2010-10-31}}</ref>

==Casualities==
Estimates of the total number of conflict-related deaths vary and are highly disputed. The number of deaths caused by ETA is consistent among different sources, such as the Spanish Interior Ministry, the Basque government, and most major news agencies. According to these sources, the number of deaths caused by ETA are 829. This list, however, does not include ETA's first victim, killed in 1960.<ref name="first_victim">
{{cite web
| title      = La primera víctima de ETA
| work       = [[El País]]
| url        = http://www.elpais.com/articulo/reportajes/primera/victima/ETA/elpepusocdmg/20100131elpdmgrep_1/Tes
| language = Spanish
| accessdate = 2010-07-31
}}
</ref> Some organizations such as the ''Colectivo de Víctimas del Terrorismo en el País Vasco'' rise the death toll of ETA's victims to 952. This is due to the inclusion to the list of several unresolved attacks such as the [[Hotel Corona de Aragón fire]].<ref name="casualities_eta_952">
{{cite web
| title      = Balance de dolor
| work       = Colectivo de Víctimas del Terrorismo en el País Vasco
| url        = http://www.covite.org/covite_balancedolor.php
| language = Spanish
| accessdate = 2010-07-30
}}
</ref> The [[Asociación de Víctimas del Terrorismo]] also includes the victims of the Corona de Aragón fire on its list of ETA's deaths.<ref name="casualities_avt">
{{cite web
| title      = Víctimas del Terrorismo
| work       = [[Asociación de Víctimas del Terrorismo]]
| url        = http://www.avt.org/victimasdelterrorismo.php
| language = Spanish
| accessdate = 2010-07-31
}}
</ref> 
===Responsibility===
{| class="wikitable" width="400px"
|-
!colspan="2" style="background:#ffdead;" align="left" |Responsibility for killing
|-

!colspan="1" style="background:#ffdead;" align="left" |Responsible party

!colspan="1" style="background:#ffdead;" align="right" |No.
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | Euskadi Ta Askatasuna || align="right" | 829<ref name="casualities_eta_829">
{{cite web
| title      = Lista de víctimas mortales
| work       = Ministerio del Interior
| url        = http://www.mir.es/DGRIS/Terrorismo_de_ETA/ultimas_victimas/p12b-esp.htm
| language = Spanish
| accessdate = 2010-07-30
}}
</ref>
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | Paramilitary and far-right groups || align="right" | 72<ref name="casualities_total"/>
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" |  Spanish security forces  || align="right" | 169<ref name="casualities_total"/>
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | Other cases || align="right" | 127<ref name="casualities_total"/>
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | '''Total''' || align="right" | '''1197'''
|}

===Status===
{| class="wikitable" width="400px"
|-
!colspan="2" style="background:#ffdead;" align="center" |ETA deaths by status of victim<ref name="casualities_eta_829"/>
|-

!colspan="1" style="background:#ffdead;" align="left" |Status

!colspan="1" style="background:#ffdead;" align="right" |No.
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | Civilian || align="right" | 343
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | Members of security forces || align="right" | 486
|-

!colspan="2" style="background:#efefef;" align="center" |of whom:
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | [[Guardia Civil]] || align="right" | 203
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | [[Cuerpo Nacional de Policía]] || align="right" | 146
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | [[Spanish Army]] || align="right" | 98
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | [[Policia Municipal]] || align="right" | 24
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | [[Ertzaintza]] || align="right" | 13
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | [[Mossos d'Esquadra]] || align="right" | 1
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" align="left" | [[National Gendarmerie|French National Gendarmerie]] || align="right" | 1
|}

==See also==
*[[List of conflicts in Europe]]
*[[List of ongoing armed conflicts]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
===Further reading===
* ''ETA. Historia política de una lucha armada'' by Luigi Bruni, Txalaparta, 1998, {{ISBN|848659703X}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
*[http://www.mir.es/DGRIS/Terrorismo_de_ETA/ Spanish Interior Ministery page about ETA]
*[http://www.ezkerabertzalea.info/index.php Abertzale left official page]
*[http://www.elmundo.es/eta/ El Mundo's special page about the conflict]
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