00:42Turkey: Tank deployed in Diyarbakir as Turkey steps up fight against PKK
A tank was deployed on the streets of the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir on Friday, the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict between state security forces and the PKK in the Kurdish-majority city. The move came as a police officer was killed in an explosion believed to be orchestrated by the armed Kurdish nationalist group in the city, also on Friday.
Guerrillas from the PKK (Kurdish Worker's Party) have taken over swathes of Diyarbakir's historic Sur district, declaring "self-rule" and repelling attempts by police to enter and secure the area. The insurrection is part of a wave of actions by Kurdish nationalist fighters across the south-east of Turkey in the wake of a breakdown of a ceasefire between the state and the PKK in July.
Turkish security forces have undertaken a large-scale security operation to restore order, which began on December 14, and has involved the imposition of curfews, aerial bombing, and mass detentions in areas of unrest. Turkey claims it has killed at least 173 PKK militants since July; human rights group claim at least 100 civilians have died in the fighting in the same period.
00:42A tank was deployed on the streets of the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir on Friday, the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict between state security forces and the PKK in the Kurdish-majority city. The move came as a police officer was killed in an explosion believed to be orchestrated by the armed Kurdish nationalist group in the city, also on Friday.
Guerrillas from the PKK (Kurdish Worker's Party) have taken over swathes of Diyarbakir's historic Sur district, declaring "self-rule" and repelling attempts by police to enter and secure the area. The insurrection is part of a wave of actions by Kurdish nationalist fighters across the south-east of Turkey in the wake of a breakdown of a ceasefire between the state and the PKK in July.
Turkish security forces have undertaken a large-scale security operation to restore order, which began on December 14, and has involved the imposition of curfews, aerial bombing, and mass detentions in areas of unrest. Turkey claims it has killed at least 173 PKK militants since July; human rights group claim at least 100 civilians have died in the fighting in the same period.