Turkey: At least 3 killed as Turkish police clash with PKK in Silopi

At least three people were killed, after clashes broke out between Turkish security forces and suspected supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the Basak and Barbaros neighbourhoods of Silopi, Friday. Smoke could be seen rising from buildings, and gunfire from automatic weapons sounded in the streets. The standoff reportedly erupted early in the morning when construction machines, backed by armoured police vehicles and hundreds of police, arrived to fill in trenches that had been dug four days before to prevent law-enforcement from entering. The Governor's Office claimed that PKK members attacked the special-operations team with homemade explosives, rockets and small-arms, as well as by placing mines in the area. Construction and police vehicles were also reportedly hit by artillery shells, while two armoured 'Otokar Cobra' armoured vehicles were destroyed.