Curfew and armed clashes in Turkey’s Kurdish Diyarbakir

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Turkish army declared a curfew in several neighborhoods of the Kurdish district of Sur in Turkey’s Kurdish Diyarbakir province earlier this week, local news agencies reported. 

According to an announcement by district officials the curfew, in several neighborhoods, would last until further notice.

Since late July, Turkey has been in a renewed conflict with its outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Mehmduh Tura, a junior governor in Sur, explained that the reason for the curfew was to “ensure the security of life and property of our citizens," according to Turkish news agencies.

The curfew follows the resumption of fighting with the PKK and the murder of a prominent Kurdish lawyer in the city of Diyarbakir earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the Fırat news agency  reported that police fired on a group gathering at Dagkapı Square in the district, leaving on woman dead and a man severely wounded.

Police and special operations teams have joined the operation, with helicopters providing air support for the operation, the Dogan news agency said.

No casualty figures from the conflict have been reported yet, but unconfirmed reports claim dozens wounded on both sides.

Following the curfew, the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) expressed outrage, saying they were "worried about loss of lives."

“After the curfew declared in Sur, the district has been blockaded by security forces and afterwards clashes have begun. We want to note that we are worried about loss of lives following the curfew," the HDP said in a statement.