Europe

Europe

Turkish PM vows to eradicate terrorism

14 July 2011 20:52 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday expressed determination to eradicate terrorism after a recent attack staged by the militants of the outlawed Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) that killed 13 Turkish soldiers in southeastern Turkey, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"The goal of the attacks and forces behind them are quite obvious. Republic of Turkey has the power and determination to overcome terrorism just like other problems," Erdogan said in his message of condolence to Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Isik Kosaner.

Earlier on Thursday, the PKK members killed 13 soldiers in an ambush in a remote area in Silvan town of Diyarbakir province. Seven other soldiers were wounded and seven PKK militants were killed in the clash.

"Turkey will be successful in its fight to beat terrorism and forces behind it without giving up on democracy, law and brotherhood," Erdogan said.

Following reports of casualties, Prime Minister Erdogan immediately called for a security meeting in Ankara with top security officials and the military chiefs. Shortly after the security meeting, Land Forces Commander Gen. Erdal Ceylanoglu and Gendarmerie Jandarma Forces Commander Gen. Necdet Ozel headed to Diyarbakir where Turkish military launched an operation to hunt the PKK militants.

Listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, the banned PKK took up arms in 1984 to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. Some 40,000 people have been killed in conflicts involving the PKK for the past over two decades.