ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – As fighting continues between the Turkish armed forces and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) southeast of the country there are reports that the military is building new bases in the area. In the Sur district of Diyarbakir which has been the scene of most of the fighting in recent weeks the Turkish army is said to be erecting five bases to reinforce troops stationed in the region. Sur has been under curfew for more than 45 days where Turkish soldiers and PKK fighters have been locked in daily battles and street fight. The Turkish military has said that in the beginning of the clashes they were fought by supporters and sympathizers of the PKK but later more experienced fighters infiltrated the town to face the army. According to official statements more than 2,000 soldiers and police personnel backed by tanks and heavy weaponry have been deployed to the region for this fight. Human rights activists say that more than 200 people have been killed so far and thousands of others have fled Sur for safety elsewhere. The Kurdish fighters have dug trenches and built sand barriers on major streets. Reports from inside the city suggest that this month alone nine soldiers and six policemen have been killed. The Turkish army says it has killed at least 94 PKK fighters.
