This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/turkey-rolls-back-curfew-in-mainly-kurdish-town/2016/03/01/1e0e7a70-e02b-11e5-8c00-8aa03741dced_story.html

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Turkey scales down curfew in mainly Kurdish town of Cizre Turkey scales down curfew in mainly Kurdish town of Cizre
(about 2 hours later)
CIZRE, Turkey — Turkish authorities on Wednesday scaled down a 24-hour curfew imposed on the mainly Kurdish town of Cizre in southeast Turkey, nearly three weeks after declaring the successful conclusion of military operations there. CIZRE, Turkey — Turkish authorities on Wednesday scaled back a curfew imposed on the mostly Kurdish town of Cizre in southeastern Turkey, nearly three weeks after declaring the successful conclusion of military operations there.
The curfew was lifted at 5 a.m., allowing residents to return to their conflict-stricken neighborhoods for the first time since Dec. 14. But it will remain in effect between 7:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. The 24-hour curfew was lifted at 5 a.m., allowing residents to return to their conflict-stricken neighborhoods for the first time since Dec. 14. But it will remain in effect between 7:30 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Residents began trickling back at first light, their vehicles loaded with personal belongings and, in some cases, children. A checkpoint manned by police and soldiers secured the entrance of the town. Curfews remain in place in Sur, a historic district of the main Kurdish city, Diyarbakir, and in Idil, a district in Sirnak province, where Turkish forces are continuing their operations against Kurdish rebels.
A second police checkpoint within Cizre carefully screened returning families, checking ID cards, padding down men, opening bags and examining the trunks of cars. In Diyarbakir, an improvised explosive device went off prematurely, killing a suspected bomber and wounding four children, the governor’s office said. It said authorities believe the man, who had previously been detained for links to the Kurkish rebels, detonated the bomb accidently on Monday as he was carrying it.
Mesut, travelling in a pickup truck with his seven children, including a toddler on his lap, said his family left 20 days after the start of military operations because of the intensity of the shelling and fighting. Cizre residents began trickling back at first light Tuesday, their vehicles loaded with personal belongings and, in some cases, children. A checkpoint manned by police and soldiers secured the entrance of the town.
On an earlier trip to the town, undertaken by foot over valleys and ravines to sneak past security forces, he said he found that extensive damage had been done to his home. “The top floors were riddled with bullets,” Mesut, who declined to give his last name out of concern for his safety, told The Associated Press as he waited in line. A second police checkpoint within Cizre carefully screened returning families, checking ID cards, patting down men, opening bags and examining the trunks of cars.
One resident, Mesut, traveling in a pickup truck with his seven children, including a toddler on his lap, said his family left 20 days after the start of military operations because of the intensity of the shelling and fighting.
On an earlier trip to the town, undertaken on foot over valleys and ravines to sneak past security forces, he said he found that extensive damage had been done to his home. “The top floors were riddled with bullets,” Mesut, who declined to give his last name out of concern for his safety, told The Associated Press as he waited in line.
Hasim Kalkan, another Cizre resident, said: “We are not happy. We’re apparently going home, but we’re not sure if we even have a home. We don’t know for sure whether we’ll have a place to lay our heads down.”Hasim Kalkan, another Cizre resident, said: “We are not happy. We’re apparently going home, but we’re not sure if we even have a home. We don’t know for sure whether we’ll have a place to lay our heads down.”
Armored vehicles roamed the town, which comprises mostly low- and some mid-rise buildings.Armored vehicles roamed the town, which comprises mostly low- and some mid-rise buildings.
Cizre, a town of 132,000 near the borders of Syria and Iraq, is one of a handful of mainly Kurdish districts where security forces, backed by tanks, conducted operations against militants linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.Cizre, a town of 132,000 near the borders of Syria and Iraq, is one of a handful of mainly Kurdish districts where security forces, backed by tanks, conducted operations against militants linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
On Feb. 11, security forces in Cizre declared victory over the Kurdish rebels, who had raised barricades, dug trenches and planted explosives to protect the area in which they aspired for self-rule. The army says more than 600 Kurdish rebels were killed in Cizre.On Feb. 11, security forces in Cizre declared victory over the Kurdish rebels, who had raised barricades, dug trenches and planted explosives to protect the area in which they aspired for self-rule. The army says more than 600 Kurdish rebels were killed in Cizre.
Advocacy groups repeatedly expressed concern over the high number of civilian casualties - at least 92 in Cizre alone, according to Turkish rights groups — amid such curfews. Advocacy groups repeatedly expressed concern over the high number of civilian casualties - at least 92 in Cizre alone, according to Turkish rights groups — amid the curfews.
Amnesty International has said the curfews amount to “collective punishment.”Amnesty International has said the curfews amount to “collective punishment.”
Ozturk Turkdogan, who heads the Ankara-based Human Rights Association, said an additional 171 bodies were retrieved from three basements in Cizre since Feb. 5. “We believe that these people were unarmed and civilians,” he told the AP.Ozturk Turkdogan, who heads the Ankara-based Human Rights Association, said an additional 171 bodies were retrieved from three basements in Cizre since Feb. 5. “We believe that these people were unarmed and civilians,” he told the AP.
Turkdogan accused the authorities of using the time between the end of security operations and the lifting of the curfew to destroy any evidence of wrongdoing. “The basements were razed to the ground,” he said.Turkdogan accused the authorities of using the time between the end of security operations and the lifting of the curfew to destroy any evidence of wrongdoing. “The basements were razed to the ground,” he said.
Police said the curfew could not be lifted immediately after the military operations ended because of the extent of explosives they had to clear.Police said the curfew could not be lifted immediately after the military operations ended because of the extent of explosives they had to clear.
The government insists the operations were inevitable, arguing that “no country in the world would allow armed terrorist roaming its streets,” and says the curfews were necessary to protect residents. The government insists the operations were inevitable, arguing that “no country in the world would allow armed terrorists to roam its streets,” and says the curfews were necessary to protect residents.
Curfews remain in place in the historic district of Sur in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir and in Idil, a district in Sirnak province. The PKK, considered a terror group by Turkey and its allies, has been waging a separatist insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since then.
A fragile two-year-old peace process with the rebels broke down in July.
______
Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.