MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The move was caused by round-the clock curfews and security operations launched in a bid to suppress the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a human rights group said in a report Tuesday.
"A year after a round-the-clock curfew was imposed in Sur, thousands of people remain displaced from their homes, struggling to make ends meet and facing an uncertain future in an increasingly repressive atmosphere," John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Europe Director stated in the report.
The 24-hour curfew has left tens of thousands of residents without access to basic resources and necessities, including food, water, shelter, and medical supplies, the report said.
The human rights group called on the Turkish government to lift the curfew and come to the aid of those affected.
"The government must act urgently to lift the curfew, ensure affected communities are fully compensated and either helped to return to what remains of their homes or, at the very least, to their neighbourhoods." Dalhuisen said.
The current conflict in Diyarbakir and surrounding regions began in July 2015 when clashes broke out between the PKK and Turkish security forces, which put an end to a two-year ceasefire. The PKK is outlawed in Turkey, and is labeled as a terrorist organization.
The conflict led to a crackdown by Turkish authorities on the Kurdish resistance, which consequently ignited a humanitarian crisis within the area.
