Thursday, January 19, 2012

Blast Kills 1, Wounds 27 in Turkey

Map of Turkey (2007)
Image via Wikipedia
One person was killed and many others were wounded in an explosion Thursday in southeastern Turkey.

Officials say several policemen were among at least 27 people wounded in the mostly Kurdish city of Hakkari.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion, but Kurdish rebels who are fighting for autonomy in the region have placed roadside bombs in the area in the past, targeting military and police vehicles.

Provincial governor Muammer Turker told journalists that the explosion occurred on a busy street as the police vehicle was driving by.

The pro-Kurdish news agency, Firat, said the explosion was caused by a bomb that formed a large crater on the ground and shattered windows on the nearby buildings.

Police had to use tear gas to disperse an angry crowd that had gathered at the scene of the blast.

Kurdish rebels who belong to the Kurdistan Workers' Party have been fighting for independence since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the fighting. The group is listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

from VOANews
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