Violence surges in Turkey following end of cease-fire agreement

World Today

It’s a somber time in Turkey as they continue to bury their dead. The country has seen the deadliest upsurge in violence since a fragile two-year peace process between the Turkish state and the country’s Kurdish rebel group, the PKK, was broken in July.

CCTV’s Natalie Carney reported this story from Istanbul.

Sixteen soldiers and 14 police officers have been killed since Sunday. Turkey has responded by striking PKK position in Northern Iraq by air and ground, killing upwards of 40 rebels, according to state run media. The United Nations has also expressed concern over the upsurge in violence. In a written statement, U.N. Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon has urged for the immediate de-escalation of tensions and hostilities.

Demonstrations have erupted across the country. Turkey’s pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic party, the HDP, say their party offices have been targets of attacks.

Out on the streets of Istanbul, its apparent much of the population sill remains divided. Turkey experienced two years of relative calm following a cease-fire agreement between the government and the PKK’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. However these heightened clashes are evoking the county’s greatest fears – a return to the devastating three decades long civil war in which 40,000 people were killed.


Professor Mustafa Kibaroglu discusses Turkey-PKK strategy shift

CCTV America interviewed Mustafa Kibaroglu, chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations and director of the Center for International Security Studies and Strategic Research at M.E.F University about the Turkey-PKK strategy shift.