30 dead in violence in Turkey

At least 30 people have died in clashes in the Turkish city of Cizre since a military operation began there last week.

Turkey's interior ministry says most of the dead were Kurdish militants, but the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) says 20 civilians were killed in the violence. 

Residents say the town has been "under siege" since the military imposed a curfew.

Police, yesterday, stopped a delegation of HDP leaders who were trying to reach the south-eastern city on foot.

The group includes the party's leader Selahattin Demirtas and 30 members of parliament, who say they want to draw attention to what is happening in the mainly Kurdish area.

They were intercepted by police near Idil, 28km from Cizre.


BBC