Reports: Teenage girls among PKK rebels killed in a recent attack
08/08/2012 22:09
ERBIL, Aug. 8 (AKnews) – At least three suspected teenage girls were among about a dozen Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels who were killed in a recent attack on a Turkish military outpost in Hakkari province, south east Turkey, Turkish media reported.
PKK rebels attacked military outposts in Semdinli district of Hakkari province on Aug. 4 killing six soldiers and two pro-government militants known as village guards. Fifteen others soldiers and six civilians were wounded in the attack and some 12 PKK rebels were also reportedly killed in the clash.
Turkish media reported that autopsies for the bodies of three of the slain PKK members showed they were 16-17 year old girls though their exact age was not known for sure as they did not carry any identification documents.
The girls were armed with only hand grenades apparently trying to attack the outposts with hand grenades while the Turkish soldiers were busy firing back at PKK militants.
Turkish authorities said earlier that the PKK used “heavy weapons” in the Semdinli attack and accused Syria of providing those weapons for the PKK.
PKK is a Kurdish rebel group that has been fighting the Turkish state for three decades. The group sought an independent Kurdish state in the south east of the country; however, in recent it changed demands to an autonomous Kurdish region within Turkey.
The fight between PKK and Turkey has claimed the lives of more than 45,000 people. The group is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, US and some EU countries.
RY/AKnews
