Turkey’s largely Kurdish southeast has been hit by nearly daily waves of deadly fighting between PKK militants and security forces since the collapse of a ceasefire in July.
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At least 10,000 demonstrators rallied in central Istanbul for a protest aimed at denouncing violence by Kurdish rebels.
The huge crowd thronged Yenikapi Square on the shores of the Sea of Marmara for the demonstration, which was to culminate with an address by Erdoğan.
The rally, which was widely promoted across the city, takes place under heavy police protection. “Martyrs never die, the homeland can not be divided”, the headbands read.
They accuse him of using a suicide bombing in the southeastern town of Suruc that was blamed on Islamic State (IS) jihadists as a pretext for reigniting the three-decade-long conflict for electoral gain.
According to the media, Turkey’s F-16 and F-4 fighter jets airstrikes on PKK targets in the Haftanin region in northern Iraq resulted in the deaths of 55-60 militants and the destruction of the group’s shelters and armories.
“We will support Erdoğan to the end”.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the election, but lost the parliamentary majority and couldn’t form a government alone for the first time since 2002.
While the timing of Erdogan’s offensive towards the PKK has raised eyebrows in Turkey and overseas , the rebels’ bloody response has brought on widespread anger.
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More than 100 soldiers and police have been killed since the open conflict resumed.
