ANKARA (Sputnik) — Two servicemen of the Turkish gendarmerie were killed and two others injured during an operation against Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) in the Turkish south-eastern province of Bitlis, local authorities said on Saturday.
"During a counter terrorist operation [against PKK], which was launched by the gendarmerie on January 12, two servicemen were killed and two injured in the Tatvan district. Lives of the injured are not in danger. The operation continues," the Bitlis authorities said in a statement.
6 January 2017, 09:39 GMT
Tensions between Ankara and the Kurds escalated in July 2015 when a ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK collapsed because of a series of terror attacks allegedly committed by PKK members.
The Kurds are currently living in parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. In Turkey, the Kurds represent the largest ethnic minority, and are striving to create their own independent state.
