Thousands have been killed since a peace process crumbled in July 2015, with the PKK amping up its attacks against police and military forces, especially in the southeastern region of the country.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the United States not to delay the extradition of USA -based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating last month’s violent coup attempt.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was responsible for at least two of the bombings, Anadolu reported. Many injured people now transported to the nearest hospital, especially those in critical condition, which needs an urgent surgeon assistance.
The group’s leader, Cemil Bayik, last week threatened more violence against police in Turkish cities.
The state-run Anadolu Agency said police yesterday searched 204 premises after warrants were issued for the detention of 187 businessmen. The blast killed three soldiers and a member of a village guard militia and wounded another seven soldiers, they said.
“The (PKK) terror group has lost its chain of command”.
Yildirim vowed to fight the PKK until it is “eliminated”.
Turkey and its allies characterize the PKK, which began fighting for autonomy in southeast Turkey in 1984, a terrorist organization.
The U.S. State Department condemned the “horrific” attack in Bitlis, offered condolences to the victims’ families and wished a speedy recovery for the wounded. The Muslim family from Long Island has sued the East Islip Union Free School District for $25 million, saying their son Nashwan Uppal was taunted by his classmates as a “terrorist” and then was asked repeatedly by school officials if he was a terrorist, if he made bombs, if he knew who “Osama” was and if he was part of IS. And a vehicle bomb exploded outside police headquarters in Elazig, killing three police officers and wounding 217 people, according to Reuters, although Anadolu pegs the injured at 146. “Vice President Biden will travel to Ankara next week to reaffirm our commitment to Turkey’s security and democracy”.
Amnesty International also condemned the vehicle bombings, which it labeled as “the latest in a series of reckless and brutal attacks”.
Authorities implemented a temporary blackout on media coverage of the Elazig bombing due to “public order and national security” concerns, a common act imposed by Turkish officials after deadly attacks such as these.
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The ban requested that media to keep from publishing anything that could incite “fear in the public, panic and disorder and which may serve the aims of terrorist organizations”.
