16 PKK militants killed in Turkey's southeast

ŞIRNAK – Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

Sixteen outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants were killed on Feb. 8 during Turkish security forces operations in the southeastern provinces.“Ten terrorists were neutralized during ongoing operations against the members of the separatist terror organization in the Cizre district,” the Şırnak Governor’s Office said in a statement, referring to PKK militants.Operations against PKK militants in the district have been ongoing.A huge explosion also occurred in the Cudi neighborhood of the district during the operations, breaking the windows of many nearby houses. The explosion was then followed by gunshots and more explosions.The Turkish General Staff also announced that a total of six PKK militants were killed in the Sur district of southeastern Diyarbakır province on Feb. 8.The number of killed PKK militants in both districts throughout curfews and operations has now reached 749.Turkey has stepped up its counterterrorism activities lately, as PKK offensives have led to casualties among police officers and soldiers on duty in the southeast.Three soldiers were injured during clashes with PKK militants in Sur on Feb. 8, as security personnel conducted deactivation work for explosives placed at blind spots in the southeastern town, which has been under military curfew for counterterrorism operations to clear it of terrorists.In the eastern province of Van, meanwhile, two civilians were injured during clashes which erupted after gunmen attempted to block a road in Van’s İpekyolu neighborhood in the evening hours of Feb. 7.A deputy from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) said the HDP had no confirmed information on several media reports citing that the Turkish army had killed 60 militants in Cizre on Feb. 7.“There’s a need to wait for clear statements, despite there being media reports saying that 60 people who were living in a basement in Cizre were killed,” said HDP deputy Kadri Yıldım, speaking during a press conference in parliament on Feb. 8.“The Prime Ministry and the Turkish General Staff have made no statements yet,” he added.The HDP said late Feb. 7 its lawmakers had not heard from a group of 15 wounded people who have been sheltering in the basement.The government and the HDP have given vastly different accounts of the plight of the group of civilians sheltered in the cellar.