Turkey: 814 ‘PKK militants’ killed since late July

Two Turkish troops died Monday and a policeman was killed in new attacks blamed on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in the country’s southeast, the army and officials said.

At least ten customs officials have been kidnapped by suspected members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in eastern Van province, the Turkish military said Sunday.

Recognized as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, the PKK waged an armed separatist war against Turkey for over 30 years resulting in more than 40,000 casualties, but maintained a rocky ceasefire with Ankara since 2013 until last month.

At least 50 security personnel have been martyred, reportedly by the PKK, as tensions in the southeastern region of Turkey have flared up since a bombing linked to Daesh on July 20 in Suruc, which claimed the lives of 34 people.

Turkey has been grappling with a sharp increase in violence between security forces and Kurdish rebels concurrent to its involvement the US-led campaign against Islamic State group extremists.

“This report offers a unique insight into understanding what motivated these women to join the PKK to fight ISIL, including some who had escaped ISIL, and makes it clear that the PKK is considered a terrorist organisation by the Turkish government“, the spokesperson added.

On Monday, PKK militants detonated a bomb on a road near Semdili town as a military vehicle was passing, killing two soldiers and injuring three others.