13 Soldiers & 5 Rebels dead in Kurdistan attack

13 Turkish troops and 5 members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were killed in a clash in Silvan last week, it has emerged.

The attack took place in a heavily forested mountainous area of northern Turkey. According to reports on Turkish television, some of the soldiers and rebels were killed when a Turkish warplane bombed the forest following the initial surprise attack hitting fighters on both sides. At least seven other Turkish troops were wounded.

Turkish ground troops and war planes are currently combing the mountains for the rebel unit although it is believed that they have already crossed back into the safety of Iraqi Kurdistan, where they operate an autonomous government and have their own police force. Members of the Turkish opposition have called for a retaliatory raid into northern Iraq in response to the killings although the government has so far avoided such a move saying it will press on with it's democratic programme.

PKK announces end of unilateral ceasefire

 
The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has announced that it's unilateral ceasefire with Turkey will expire tonight.

The PKK had initially agreed to a ceasefire until June, when Turkey's General Elctions will be held. But in a statement issued to the Firat News Agency the guerrilla organisation said that it's units would now move to a position of defence and retaliation, however they would not carry out offensive military actions. It also stated that it would attack Turkish military units which it believed were preparing to carry out an attack.

The ceasefire, which was declared in August, was formulated to give Turkey's ruling AKP party space to address Kurdish grievances in relation to autonomy and language. Today the PKK said that it had attempted to build peaceful dialogue with the Turkish state but that they had not responded. It also claimed that the Turkish military had killed 40 PKK fighters during the period of the ceasefire.

The group appealed to the international community to put pressure on the Turkish government to enter into dialogue.

PKK deny involvement in Istanbul bombing

The PKK rebel group has denied that it was involved in yesterday's suicide bomb attack against a Police bus in Istanbul which injured 32 people. It is believed that the attack may have been carried out by hardline elements withing the seperatist movement who are opposed to the ongoing discussions between the rebel leadership and the Turkish government.

Following the attack the PKK also extended it's ceasefire, which was due to expire yesterday, until the first week of June 2011.

In a statement the PKK said that it was extending it's non-aggression pact until the 2011 General Election in order to help bring about a democratic process and allow elections inTurkey to go ahead in a healthy environment.

A senior security official said he believed a rogue PKK unit was responsible for the attack and noted that the explosive A-4, a substance which is almost exclusively used by the PKK in Turkey, had been used.

Attacks in tourist areas are usually carried out by a group calling itself the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK). In June, 3 soldiers and a civilian were killed when the TAK bombed a military bus in Istanbul. The PKK claims that TAK are an extreme splinter group outside of their control.

30 Injured in Istanbul blast

Up to 30 people, mainly police officers, have been injured in a suspected suicide bomb attack in Istanbul.

The attack took place in Taksim Square at around 4pm this afternoon. The attacker attempted to gain entry into a parked police vehicle but was unable to. He then blew himself up just beside the vehicle. The square usually has a heavy police presence as it is a popular location for protests and demonstrations.

The attack occurred as a unilateral ceasefire, which was declared by the Kurdish PKK rebel group earlier in the year, came to an end.

The Turkish government has been holding talks with rebel leaders in an attempt to end the conflict. But the trial of 150 Kurdish people, including over a dozen elected mayors, on charges of involvement in rebel activities has been a major sticking point.

The PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) are fighting for an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey. The PKK control most of Northern Iraq where they are the officially recognised local government, they are also active in Iran. With a population of around 25 million people, the Kurdish are considered one of the worlds  largest people's without an internationally recognized homeland.