Stop labelling PKK-fighters as terrorists

Turkey is bombing PKK camps in Northern-Iraq in retaliation for the killing of soldiers by the PKK. The first civilian deaths have been reported. The EU doesn’t protest the violence, because the PKK is on the EU list of terrorist organizations. But the label ‘terrorist’ contributes to maintaining the crux of the problem, which is the still unsolved Kurdish issue. …

Violence hampers solution to Kurdish question

ISTANBUL – Amid increasing PKK violence and Turkish bombings of PKK camps in Northern Iraq last night, a solution to the Kurdish question seems further away than ever. It is not only increasing violence that hampers a solution, but also legal action against Kurdish politicians adding to the rising tensions.

PKK violence started increasing last month, when thirteen Turkish soldiers were …

Turkey continues fight after loss of 13 soldiers

ANKARA – The Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said he is determined to continue the fight against the PKK. He said this after an emergency meeting with the army after thirteen Turkish soldiers died in an attack by Kurdish seperatist movement PKK. Also seven PKK-fighters died.

It was the biggest PKK attack in about a year time. The soldiers prepared an …

Commotion in Turkey about released terrorists

ISTANBUL – There is commotion in Turkey about the release of prisoners who were on remand for involvement in terrorist attacks by the Turkish group Hizbullah. They were set free on Tuesday after a new law came into effect that reduces the maximun period of remand.

The eighteen Hizbullah fighters had been in jail without a conviction since 2000. A few

…

Turkish Prime Minister accuses Europe

ISTANBUL –Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan accuses Europe of supporting terrorists, and thus ascribes to them responsibility for the bomb attack in Istanbul yesterday. In the attack 32 people were wounded and the suicide bomber himself was killed.

Erdoğan mentioned the bomb attack in a speech he gave to an international congress in Istanbul. He blamed European countries for failing to get …

Fights over alcohol in Istanbul

ISTANBUL – At two galleries in Istanbul on Tuesday night five people were wounded after a group using sticks and stones objected to alcohol being consumed in the street. At the two galleries exhibitions were being opened with hundreds of guests from Turkey and abroad. Several Turkish media outlets reported that on Wednesday.

A group of about thirty people threw stones …

Increased security measures in Turkish tourist areas

ISTANBUL – In tourist areas of Turkey extra security measures are being taken against attacks by Kurdish separatist movement PKK, according to several Turkish media on Friday. That is one of the outcomes of deliberations between the Turkish government and the army on Thursday. Exactly which measures will be taken has not been revealed.

The security measures are being intensified after …

Turkey investigates Israel-PKK ties

ISTANBUL –Turkish intelligence services are investigating whether there is a connection between the Israeli attack on the aid convoy to Gaza and a PKK attack on a Turkish marine base on the Mediterranean Sea a few hours earlier. Speculation about a link is rising in the Turkish press.

Newspapers have been printing articles about a possible connection between the two events …

Girl imitates suicide and dies

ISTANBUL – In the Turkish city of Istanbul an 8 year old girl died Friday night while trying to imitate a suicide scene from a TV series. She was standing on her bed with her mother’s headscarf around her neck and the heating pipe, and slipped. This was reported on the website of daily paper Radikal …

Baby in Turkey killed for ‘honour’

ISTANBUL – In the far west of Turkey a 2 day old baby has been killed to save the ‘honour’ of the family. The mother was not married to the father of the child, and this brought shame upon the family. Several Turkish papers report this story on Saturday.

The 25 year old mother got pregnant by her boyfriend before he …