04 Jun 2018 | 01:34 AM UTC
Turkey: PKK fighters kill three Turkish soldiers in Hakkâri province June 3
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters kill three Turkish soldiers and wound another in Hakkâri province June 3; additional PKK attacks possible in the near-term
Event
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters launched an attack on Turkish soldiers in Dağlıca district (Hakkari province) on Sunday, June 3, killing three soldiers and wounding another. The PKK fighters reportedly carried out the cross-border assault from mountainous territory in Iraq. Additional cross-border PKK attacks are possible in Hakkâri province in the near-term.
Context
Turkey has faced a Kurdish insurgency since 1984, spearheaded by the PKK, which was renewed in 2015 following the dissolution of a ceasefire. The conflict has left over 40,000 people dead since 1984 and associated violence continues to pose a significant security risk in southeastern Turkey. Tensions between the Turkish state and Kurdish populations have intensified further since the launch of Operation Olive Branch, a Turkish offensive against Kurdish groups in Syria, in January 2018.
Advice
Due to the Turkish government's ongoing conflicts with the PKK some Western governments advise against travel to areas much of the southeast, notably areas along the Syrian and Iraqi borders.
