JINHA

NEWS CENTER - Clashes and fighting took place in six areas of Kurdistan last night.

Clashes continued yesterday and throughout the night last night in Northern Kurdistan (in Turkey). Guerrillas and Turkish soldiers clashes in several areas

Local residents have been holding a vigil in the Veregoz region, near Yüksekova. The residents had hoped to put their bodies between the two opposing sides and stop clashes. Yesterday, Turkish soldiers set out for a military operation nearby, starting a clash with guerrillas near the civilian vigil. Soldiers deployed heavy artillery, helicopter bombardments and closed down roads in various parts of the area. Guerrillas also launched an attack on a Turkish base in the border area of Şemdinli, in the same province.

In the nearby city of Yüksekova, police attempted to raid neighborhoods where locals have been maintaining a self-defense vigil. As police attacked the barricades, locals fought back. After opening fire on the residential neighborhood, police abandoned the attempt.

In the town of Dicle, located in Diyarbakır province, local youth attempted to dig a trench to defend their town from police attacks. As police blockaded the neighborhood with armored vehicles and attempted a raid, youth fought back. Residents protested the police with a noise demo as fighting continued.

Youth also began digging trenches in the town of Beytüşşebap, located in Şırnak province, where police raids have been increasing. Police fought with local youth throughout the night using live ammunition.

Young residents of the town of Bulanık, in Muş province, attempted to hold a protest against police raids targeting Kurdish activists. Police attacked the protestors with tear gas. Clashes quickly spread to nearby neighborhoods, where panic broke out after a large explosion. Youth eventually dispersed.

In the Dargeçit district of Mardin province, an explosion occurred as a police vehicle passed by. Three police officers lost their lives in the explosion. In Iğdır province, Cobra helicopters started an air operation in the foothills of Mt. Ararat.

(ekip/gc/cm)