Two soldiers martyred in PKK attack in SE Turkey

Thousands of people living in the southeastern town in Turkey have been stuck in their homes for over a week now due to the imposed curfew and clashes between security forces and PKK militants.

One sergeant has been martyred and three other security personnel wounded in Turkey’s eastern Van province in a clash with PKK terrorists.

It said two Turkish soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device on a road near the town of Lice, while another soldier was killed in clashes in Van Province.

An operation has been launched to catch the culprits, they said.

Two Turkish soldiers were killed when a makeshift explosive planted by militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) on a highway went off in the southeastern town of Lice, according to local police on Friday.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday the anti-PKK offensive in the town was “largely complete”, but added: “It will continue until peace has been restored in each neighbourhood of Silvan”.

A civilian woman named Fatma Yiğit was killed after a bomb was exploded in Silvan’s Şehit Harun neighborhood on Thursday night.

On Thursday, police fired tear gas at a group of HDP lawmakers in Silvan who wanted to enter the districts under police lockdown amid concerns over food shortages.

Turkey’s southeast has been in a state of unrest since a two-year ceasefire between the Turkish state and the PKK ended in July.

The government had rejected the cease-fire.