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Two Turkish soldiers killed in suspected
PKK attack in Turkey's Kurdish region
20.8.2012 |
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The PKK demanded Turkey's recognition of the Kurds'
identity in its constitution and of their language
as a native language along with Turkish in the
country's Kurdish areas,
the party also demanded an end to
ethnic discrimination in Turkish laws and
constitution against Kurds, ranting them full
political freedoms. Photo: HPG
August 20, 2012
KIRIKDAG, Turkey's Kurdish
region,—Two Turkish soldiers were killed by a
landmine on a road in southeast Turkey on Monday in
an attack believed to have been carried out by
Kurdish militants, security sources said.
The attack by suspected members of the Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) also wounded several Turkish
soldiers travelling in an armoured vehicle between
Hakkari and Van provinces, the sources said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The violence is a headache for Prime Minister Tayyip
Erdogan as he seeks to limit the impact on Turkey of
the conflict in Syria, where the PKK is exerting
growing authority in some border areas. Ankara
believes PKK militants are receiving arms from
Syrian forces.
The ANF news agency reported that three Turkish
soldiers were reported dead in clashes between
Turkish army forces and PKK guerrillas in Besta
region of province of Şırnak in northern Kurdistan.
Clashes broke out Monday evening in separate areas
of Besta region during the air-supported operation
of the Turkish army. The operation in the region is
reported to be continuing.
On the other hand, an explosion occurred during the
passage of a military convoy on Hakkari-Van way on
Tuesday. A military vehicle fell down into a valley
and many ambulances were sent to the scene after the
explosion.
The PKK has several times proposed peaceful solutions regarding Kurdish problem,
Turkey has always refused saying that it will not negotiate with “terrorists”.
Since it was established in 1984, the 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. More than 40,000 people have since been
killed.
But now its aim is the creation an autonomous 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.
The PKK wants constitutional recognition for the Kurds, regional
self-governance and Kurdish-language education in schools.
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 ass '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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