Security forces reportedly kill 39 PKK militants in south-eastern Turkey.

By bne IntelliNews August 1, 2012
Security forces killed a total of 39 PKK militants in the south-eastern Turkey in on-going clashes that began on June 22, local media reported. The military has not made an official statement and clashes have received little media coverage. Clashes began nine days ago when around 100 PKK militants crossed from northern Iraq and blocked the roads and conducted ID checks in the Semdinli province. Clashes between security forces and PKK militants intensified over the last couple of days. The Turkish military has been conducting air-backed operations and forced PKK militants to retreat to PKK hideouts in northern Iraq. Heavy clashes in the countrys southeast came at a very sensitive time. The Turkish government seems to be concerned over media reports suggesting that the Democratic Union of Kurdistan, affiliated to the PKK, took control of several towns in northern Syria along the Turkish border. Foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey may intervene in Syria if any terrorist organisation whether it is the PKK or al-Qaeda, sets up bases along the Turkish-Syrian border, daily Haberturk reported. Davutoglu also said that a Kurdish state could not be established there and Turkey would not allow this to happen. The foreign minister will travel to northern Iraq today to have talks with Kurdish politicians to express Turkeys sensitivity and concerns over developments in Syria. Recently, Massoud Barzani, the leader of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, said they trained some Syrian Kurds.
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