Sunday, May 06, 2007
Clashes in S.E. Turkey between soldiers and PKK
Security
(Reuters) - Two Turkish soldiers and two Kurdistan Workers' Party guerrillas were killed late on Saturday in southeast Turkey, officials said on Sunday. Fighting tends to escalate in the spring as the snow melts and guerrillas cross the border from their hide-outs in Kurdish-ruled northern Iraq, where Anakara continues to urge the United States to crack down on militants.
The PKK has been fighting for a homeland in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey since 1984, and Ankara blames it for more than 30,000 deaths since then. The governor of the province of Sirnak, which borders Iraq, said in a statement two soldiers had been killed in clashes in the province, while a security official said two militants had been killed in Hatay, which borders Syria.
The security official said on Sunday fighting was most intense in the border areas. "Particularly in Hakkari and Sirnak clashes have increased in recent days .... groups trying to cross into Turkey from northern Iraq are being constantly followed," he said.
The PKK has been fighting for a homeland in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey since 1984, and Ankara blames it for more than 30,000 deaths since then. The governor of the province of Sirnak, which borders Iraq, said in a statement two soldiers had been killed in clashes in the province, while a security official said two militants had been killed in Hatay, which borders Syria.
The security official said on Sunday fighting was most intense in the border areas. "Particularly in Hakkari and Sirnak clashes have increased in recent days .... groups trying to cross into Turkey from northern Iraq are being constantly followed," he said.
Labels: Hatay, PKK, Sirnak province, Turkey
