Curfew declared in southeast Turkey town as fresh clashes erupt
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A Turkish army armed vehicle patrols as Kurdish people celebrate the birthday of jailed Kurdish Worker Party's (PKK) founder Abdullah Ocalan on April 4 2016 in his hometown of Omerli in Sanliurfa province southeasternTurkey. AFP / ILYAS AKENGIN
DIYARBAKIR Turkey: Turkey declared acurfew in the southeastern town of Silopi on Tuesday afterKurdish militants launched a rocket attack on an armoured policevehicle killing one officer and wounding four security sourcessaid.
Witnesses said gunfire rang out in the town near the Iraqiborder through the night while clashes erupted elsewhere in themainly Kurdish southeast which is suffering the worst violencein two decades after conflict flared up last July.
Peace talks with the jailed leader of the Kurdistan WorkersParty (PKK) militant group collapsed last year and on MondayPresident Tayyip Erdogan ruled out reviving them vowing tostamp out the insurgency.
In Silopi local authorities declared a curfew from 4:30a.m. (0130 GMT) in an announcement by loudspeaker from mosqueminarets and police vehicles witnesses said.
In the town of Nusaybin near the Syrian border which hasbeen under curfew for three weeks a PKK rocket attack killed anarmy major and another officer on Monday security sources said.
They said two police officers were wounded in a bomb attackon their armoured vehicle on Monday in the Lice district ofDiyarbakir province.
More than 40000 people have been killed in the conflictsince the PKK took up arms in 1984. The group which says it isfighting for autonomy for Kurds is designated a terroristorganisation by Turkey the United States and European Union.
Reuters