ANKARA (Sputnik) – A counterterrorism operation in the Turkish city of Silopi in the southeastern Sirnak province has nearly been completed, the country’s prime minister said Tuesday.
In December 2015, the Turkish authorities declared a curfew in a number of southeastern regions, including in the city of Sirnak, where armed clashes between Ankara forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters have been ongoing.
"Operation in Silopi is almost completed. All neighborhoods, streets of the city have been cleared [of militants]. A curfew will be still in place for some time until we are sure the residents’ security is guaranteed," Ahmet Davutoglu said at a press conference broadcast by the Turkish NTV channel.
The security situation in Turkey deteriorated following a suicide bombing in the Turkish border city of Suruc on July 20 and a spate of police killings in southeastern Turkey, for which the PKK claimed responsibility.
The PKK was founded in the late 1970s. The group is considered to be a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and NATO.
