Turkish Police Use Tear Gas Against Kurdish Protesters in Diyarbakir

DIYARBAKIR (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, residents of the unofficial Kurdish capital of Diyarbakir closed their shops, schools and kindergartens and started peacefully protesting against the armed clashes between Ankara forces and Kurdish militants, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported from the scene of the events.

Hatip Dicle, a co-chair of the Pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Congress (DTK) told RIA Novosti that the protests were supposed to last for an initial three days, before either ending or continuing, depending on the situation.

The city center is currently empty with lots of tear gas puddles along the streets. Many activists plan to continue the rally after nightfall.

Tensions in Turkey escalated in July 2015, after two Turkish policemen were murdered by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which led to Ankara's military campaign against the group.

In December, the Turkish authorities declared a curfew in a number of southeastern regions where armed clashes between Ankara forces and PKK fighters continue. The central Sur district of Diyarbakir, which houses historic monuments dating back to 400 BC, has been the site of confrontations between the Kurdish activists and Ankara forces.

The Turkish General Staff earlier said about 850 Kurdish militants have been killed since mid-December. Kurdish activists, in their turn, argue that most of the dead were civilian victims. Mayor of Diyarbakir Firat Anli told RIA Novosti that 50,000 people of the normally 70,000 Sur residents had left their homes.

The Kurds, Turkey's largest ethnic minority, are striving to create their own independent state. The PKK was founded in the late 1970s to promote the self-determination for the Kurdish community.