2 soldiers, 1 villager killed in Kurdish rebel ambush in southeast Turkey
By APFriday, June 25, 2010
3 killed in Kurdish rebel attack in Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey — Suspected Kurdish rebels have ambushed a military vehicle in southeast Turkey, killing two soldiers and a villager who was caught in the crossfire, Turkish news reports said Friday.
The troops were returning to base when the rebels opened fire on a road in Elazig province, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported.
A group of villagers traveling on a motorbike and sidecar were on the road at the time of the attack. Four people — two soldiers and two villagers — were wounded.
The deaths raised the number of soldiers killed in attacks this past week to 19. Turkish troops meanwhile, killed 21 rebels in clashes since June 18, according to the military’s official website.
For decades, the Kurdish rebels have been fighting for greater rights and autonomy in violence that has claimed the lives of some 40,000 people.
The rebels of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, have escalated attack this month, saying their call for a dialogue has been ignored.
The government refuses to negotiate with the group which is considered to be a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
