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Kurdish PKK rebels warns of escalation of violence across Turkey Kurdish PKK rebels warns of escalation of violence across Turkey
(about 4 hours later)
Kurdish rebels warned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan they will "escalate the war" if the rights of Kurds are not accepted. Kurdish rebels have warned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan they will "escalate the war" in Turkey until their rights are accepted.
The  leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Cemil Bayik, said the group is willing to negotiate but not surrender. The leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Cemil Bayik, said the group is willing to negotiate but not surrender in the wake of growing violence between the two sides.
A spokesman for the Turkish President has stated there is no chance of negotiation with the PKK "at the moment".
Mr Bayik said: "The Kurds will defend themselves to the end, so long as this is the Turkish approach – of course the PKK will escalate the war.Mr Bayik said: "The Kurds will defend themselves to the end, so long as this is the Turkish approach – of course the PKK will escalate the war.
"We don't want to separate from Turkey and set up a state."We don't want to separate from Turkey and set up a state.
"We don't want to divide Turkey. We want to live within the borders of Turkey on our own land freely...The struggle will continue until the Kurds' innate rights are accepted.""We don't want to divide Turkey. We want to live within the borders of Turkey on our own land freely...The struggle will continue until the Kurds' innate rights are accepted."
Turkish Presidential adviser Ilnur Cevik told the BBC the PKK are "trying to create a separate state in Turkey – this is outright secession". A spokesman for the Turkish President responded by stating there was no chance of negotiation with the PKK "at the moment".
He added: "We are going to struggle right to the bitter end to stop this. And the Turkish people are now determined – public opinion polls say. They say, 'don't stop'." Ilnur Cevik told the BBC the PKK is "trying to create a separate state in Turkey – this is outright secession".
A two-year-long ceasefire between Turkey and PKK broke down last July with violence escalating including Turkish air strikes on PKK bases in Northern Iraq. He said: "We are going to struggle right to the bitter end to stop this. And the Turkish people are now determined – public opinion polls say. They say, 'don't stop'."
The PKK is categorised as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. A two-year-long ceasefire between Turkey and PKK broke down last July. 
The PKK is reported to chave carried out numerous attacks on Turkish soil, while President Erdogan has responded by launching air strikes on rebel bases in northern Iraq.
In March, 37 people were killed and at least 125 injured in a bomb attack on Ankara. The Kuristan Freedom Hawks, an offshoot of the PKK, claimed responsibility for the killings.
The Turkish government has previously vowed to "liquidate" the PKK, which it considers a terrorist organisation along with the European Union and the United States