Three feared dead in southeast Turkey clashes: sources

Published August 7th, 2015 - 11:31 GMT
Turkish special police forces pictured during clashes between rival Kurdish groups in central Diyarbakir, southeast Turkey, on June 9, 2015 (AFP/Ilyas Akengin)
Turkish special police forces pictured during clashes between rival Kurdish groups in central Diyarbakir, southeast Turkey, on June 9, 2015 (AFP/Ilyas Akengin)

Three people are feared killed and a police officer was heavily wounded in clashes between security forces and suspected supporters of the PKK terrorist organization in Turkey’s southeastern Sirnak province on Friday, local sources said.

The fighting broke out after gunmen opened fire on police officers who were attempting to close ditches dug on the side streets in Baris neighborhood in order to block police from entering the area.

After police arrived at the scene with an armored earth digger, suspected PKK supporters opened fire on officers with long-range rifles.

The ensuing clashes, which lasted four hours, resulted in the killing of three people. It wasn’t immediately clear whether they were the gunmen or civilians.

The wounded officer has been taken to the district hospital, as tensions remain high in the city.

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