Eleven PKK separatists killed in eastern Turkey
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Eleven PKK separatists were killed on Tuesday in clashes with the Turkish army in an eastern province of Turkey. The army launched a major operation against the PKK after a group of separatists attacked a gendarme post on Friday. (UPDATED)
Eleven PKK separatists were killed on Tuesday by the Turkish army in clashes that occurred in the Hakkari
The PKK had attacked an outpost in the southeastern
Turkish warplanes and artillery also targeted the terrorist organization PKK’s positions in northern
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday the PKK had been isolated both in Turkey and abroad, adding the Turkish Armed Forces have been dealing a "new major blow" to the PKK over the last couple of weeks.
"Everyone has began abandoning terrorism and terrorists. And the terrorist organization will either renounce this path or it will be abandoned on this path," he told a parliamentary meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AKP).
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GOVERNMENT TAKES STEPS
"Terrorism can have no excuse and everyone has seen the inhumane face of the terrorist organization. And it is high time for those who have chosen the path of terrorism to see this fact," he said.
Erdogan said the government had been taking necessary measures "to overcome this menace," adding his government would soon announce a series of "new steps" to be taken to boost economic and social development in eastern and southeastern Turkey.
Erdogan also reiterated Turkey's cooperation with Iran against the outlawed separatists.
Turkish and Iranian officials signed last month a memorandum of understanding expressing their willingness to develop cooperation against terrorist activities and improve intelligence sharing.
Iranian artillery shelled on Tuesday the border villages in al-Sulaimaniya Province of northern Iraq with the aim of driving out outlawed PEJAK separatists, the website of the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's political party, PUKmedia reported.
Turkey and Iran have been long fighting against terrorist movements operated by both the outlawed separatists PKK and its breakaway faction, the PEJAK.