More than 160 PKK terrorists killed in Turkish operation

Turkish tanks shelled the southeastern town of Cizre on Tuesday in a growing military operation to root out Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants, but rights groups and Kurdish politicians say weeks of military operations have killed dozens of civilians and uprooted tens of thousands.

A protester throws stones toward Turkish riot police during a demonstration in Diyarbakir on Decembe …

Most of the casualties were centered in the southeastern towns of Cizre and Silopi, both under 24-hour curfew, with 98 rebels killed, according to Anadolu Agency.

Similar operations, backed by curfews, are also in progress in the district of Sur in the Diyarbakir region and the Dargecit district of Mardin province.

Although traditionally rooted in the countryside, the PKK has shifted its focus in recent years to towns and cities in the southeast, digging trenches and setting up barricades in streets to keep security forces away.

Around 300 houses have been damaged by the clashes and undetonated mortar shells lie inside buildings, security sources and witnesses said. Many citizens reportedly fled the area before the curfew was imposed. Food and drinking water were running scarce, residents said. Since 1984, at least 40,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in the conflict. “We will fight day and night until all mountains, cities, districts and neighbourhoods of this country are cleansed of terror centres”.

Local media reports that some 10,000 police and soldiers are involved in the security crackdown on the PKK, with armoured vehicles and tanks providing backup. In Diyarbakir’s Sur district, 23 terrorists were killed.

Some of the demonstrators reportedlythrew firebombs at the cops, who responded with tear gas canisters and used water cannon to disperse the protesters, according to police accounts.

Since then, official figures indicate more than 200 members of the security forces have been martyred and over 1,700 PKK terrorists killed in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq, including airstrikes.