TURKEY-KURDS/ATTACKS Gunfire heard in southeastern Turkey as Kurdish militants clash with security forces

Record ID: 141794

  • Title: TURKEY-KURDS/ATTACKS Gunfire heard in southeastern Turkey as Kurdish militants clash with security forces
  • Date: 6th September 2015
  • Summary: DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 6, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN AND POLICE VEHICLES BEHIND CORDONED OFF ZONE (WITH AUDIO OF GUNFIRE AND EXPLOSION) VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN HEADING OFF ON MOTORBIKES VARIOUS OF ARMOURED POLICE VEHICLES DRIVING PAST MECHANICAL DIGGER REVERSING TO ALLOW POLICE VEHICLE PAST MECHANICAL DIGGER BLOCKING ROAD ARMED POLICEMAN STANDING IN STREET / SMOKE RISING IN STREET ARMED POLICEMEN LEAVING CORDONED OFF ZONE SMOKE RISING IN STREET VARIOUS OF DAMAGED ARMOURED POLICE VEHICLE BEING TOWED VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN AND POLICE VEHICLES BEHIND CORDONED OFF ZONE
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAK85VL8Z4UI2P9JD18MTHIGV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Gunfire and explosions echoed across southeastern Turkey's largest city on Sunday (September 6) as clashes broke out between Kurdish militants and security forces.
    Armed police cordoned off part of Diyarbakir as they responded to the violence, with a mechanical digger deployed to prevent access to one main street.
    Armoured police vehicles could be seen driving through the streets and police were dispersed on motorbikes.
    Two policemen were killed and three others injured after fighters from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fired a rocket propelled grenade during the fighting in predominantly Kurdish Diyarbakir.
    The police were attacked when they tried to clear the militants from the Sur district of the city.
    Security forces responded with an air-supported operation against the militants, and the governor's office imposed a curfew in the area, ordering all residents to remain indoors.
    The clashes are just the latest in a deadly drumbeat of violence to have swept eastern Turkey since July, when a 2-year ceasefire between the PKK and the government collapsed, with both sides blaming each other.
    Since then officials say more than 70 members of the security forces and hundreds of Kurdish militants have been killed in almost daily tit-for-tat clashes.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register