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Turkey-PKK conflict 'has killed 2,000' since truce collapsed - UN Turkey-PKK conflict: UN report tells of '2,000 dead' since truce collapse
(about 1 hour later)
The UN has accused Turkish forces of serious violations during unrest in the south-east of the country that left 2,000 dead less than 18 months. When a man in the Turkish town of Cizre was told his sister had been killed, his family was invited to pick up her remains from the public prosecutor's office.
Up to 500,000 people, mostly Kurds, were displaced between July 2015 and December 2016, a UN report said. But all they received were three small pieces of charred flesh - and no information on how she died.
Meanwhile, satellite imagery showed the "enormous scale of destruction of the housing stock by heavy weaponry". His account from February 2016 is among many included in a new UN report on Turkish government operations in the country's mainly Kurdish south-east.
A two-year-old ceasefire between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) broke down in July 2015. UN investigators found some 2,000 people were killed in 18 months of fighting, and accuses Turkish forces of serious human rights violations.
In the period that followed, UN investigators documented thousands of killings, disappearances and cases of torture during government operations that affected more than 30 towns and neighbourhoods. The most serious abuses took place during periods of curfew imposed for several days at a time. The killings, disappearances and instances of torture documented in the report took place during a surge in violence after ceasefire between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) broke down in July 2015.
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UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein criticised the Turkish government, saying he was "particularly concerned by reports that no credible investigation has been conducted". In the case of the woman killed in Cizre, whose named was not published in the report, UN investigators found that when her sister called for those responsible to be punished and tried to pursue legal action, she was charged with terrorism offences.
He said the government had "contested the veracity of the very serious allegations made in this report". The administration of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not commented independently on the findings. As well as thousands killed or detained, the UN says between 350,000 and 500,000 people were displaced by the fighting between July 2015 and December 2016.
Satellite imagery also showed the "enormous scale of destruction of the housing stock by heavy weaponry".
But despite the serious allegations, "no credible investigation has been conducted" by the Turkish government, says UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein.
The government had "contested the veracity of the very serious allegations made" in the report, he said.
The administration of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not commented independently on the findings.
The UN Human Rights Office report relied on confidential and public accounts, satellite imagery and other sources because the Turkish government has failed to grant investigators access to the areas affected by anti-PKK operations.The UN Human Rights Office report relied on confidential and public accounts, satellite imagery and other sources because the Turkish government has failed to grant investigators access to the areas affected by anti-PKK operations.
It did receive information from the government indicating the PKK, which the administration considers a terrorist organisation, "had conducted a number of violent attacks that caused deaths and injuries among Turkish security forces and other individuals". It recorded incidents that took place during government operations that affected more than 30 towns and neighbourhoods. The most serious abuses took place during periods of curfew imposed for several days at a time, it said.
For its part, the Turkish government did provide investigators with information indicating that the PKK, which the administration considers a terrorist organisation, "had conducted a number of violent attacks that caused deaths and injuries among Turkish security forces and other individuals".
The PKK has also been involved, according to the government, in "kidnappings, including of children; digging trenches and placing roadblocks in cities and towns; and preventing medical services from delivering emergency health services".The PKK has also been involved, according to the government, in "kidnappings, including of children; digging trenches and placing roadblocks in cities and towns; and preventing medical services from delivering emergency health services".
Turkey has been fighting a Kurdish insurgency in its south-east for decades.Turkey has been fighting a Kurdish insurgency in its south-east for decades.
The PKK launched an armed struggle against the Turkish government in 1984, calling for an independent Kurdish state within Turkey.The PKK launched an armed struggle against the Turkish government in 1984, calling for an independent Kurdish state within Turkey.
Since then, tens of thousands of people have died. A surge in violence since the ceasefire broke down in 2015 has seen militants attacking security forces, while the army has been besieging Kurdish-dominated towns. Since then, tens of thousands of people have died.