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PKK claims responsibility for deadly
ambush of Turkish forces
19.8.2011 |
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August 19, 2011
QANDIL MOUNTAINS, Turkey-Iraqi Kurdistan
frontier, — The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)
has claimed responsibility for
killing 14 Turkish soldiers in an
ambush of Turkish forces in Hakari, south east
Turkey.
A statement by the PKK, carried by the pro-Kurdish
Firat News Agency (FNA), said: "The operation that
targeted a Turkish military convoy on Wednesday in
Cukuca town, Hakari, was carried out by the party's
(PKK) fighters"
"The operation left 14 Turkish soldiers dead, among
them three commanders. 15 other soldiers were
injured," the statement read.
The Turkish military command reported only eight
deaths among the Turkish troops and one village
guard (pro-government militia).
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The PKK has been fighting the Turkish
state, which still denies the constitutional
existence of Kurds, to establish an autonomous
Kurdish region and more cultural rights for ethnic
Kurds who constitute the greatest minority in
Turkey, numbering more than 20 million. |
On Wednesday night Turkish fighter jets crossed into
Iraqi Kurdistan to
bomb the bases
of the PKK that are located just across the border.
Since it was established
in 1984, the Kurdistan Workers' Party PKK has been
fighting the Turkish state, which still denies the
constitutional existence of Kurds, to establish a
Kurdish state in the south east of the country,www.ekurd.netsparking a conflict that has claimed some 45,000
lives.
But now its aim is the creation an autonomous
Kurdish region
and more cultural rights for ethnic Kurds who
constitute the greatest minority in Turkey,
numbering more than 20 million. A large Turkey's
Kurdish community openly sympathise with the Kurdish PKK rebels.
PKK's demands included releasing PKK detainees,
lifting the ban on education in Kurdish, paving the
way for an autonomous democrat Kurdish system within
Turkey, reducing pressure on the detained PKK leader
Abdullah Öcalan, stopping military action against
the Kurdish party and recomposing the Turkish
constitution.
Turkey refuses to recognize its Kurdish population
as a distinct minority. It has allowed some cultural
rights such as limited broadcasts in the Kurdish
language and private Kurdish language courses with
the prodding of the European Union, but Kurdish
politicians say the measures fall short of their
expectations.
The PKK is considered as 'terrorist' organization by
Ankara, U.S., the PKK continues to be on the
blacklist list in EU despite court ruling which
overturned a decision
to place the Kurdish rebel group PKK and its
political wing on the European Union's terror list.
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