New curfews declared in 18 villages in Diyarbakir

The Governorate of Diyarbakir on Tuesday announced the start of curfews in 18 villages of the Lice district in Turkey’s southeastern Kurdish province.

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Kurdistan24) – The Governorate of Diyarbakir on Tuesday announced the start of curfews in 18 villages of the Lice district in Turkey’s southeastern Kurdish province.

The villages and hamlets affected were Akcabudak, Ortulu, Ulucak, Saydamli, Kilicli, Yorulmaz, Guldiken, Ucdamlar, Baharlar, Bayirli, Hedik, Tuzlakoy, Yamacli, Kiralan, Dernek, Konuklu, Yunluce, and Yaprakkoy.

The curfews were enforced at noon local time.

The Governorate did not provide further details on when the restrictions would be lifted.

Meanwhile, the curfew imposed on 10 villages in the Kulp district of Diyarbakir on Sunday was lifted at noon (local time) on Tuesday.

Renewed curfews were recently enforced on over 40 villages in Diyarbakir late last month.

The restrictions are part of ongoing security operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which has been waging a resistance against the Turkish government.

Over 1,200 people, including security forces and civilians, have been killed since July 2015 when a two-year ceasefire between the PKK and government broke down.

Diyarbakir was the target of a curfew earlier this year in March when military and police personnel launched operations targeting the PKK in the area.

Telephone lines and Internet connections were also cut off, prompting a joint statement by Turkey’s Kurdish parties condemning the imposed restrictions.

“A new addition to the violations of human rights, the massacres, and genocide in Kurdistan where a dirty war is being waged,” the statement read.

 

Editing by Ava Homa