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Govt-PKK peace process remains stalled in run-up to 7 June parliamentary elections.
Govt jet 16 May shot down Syrian helicopter it alleged violated Turkish airspace. Military and PKK clashed in Agri province 11 April, leaving five militants dead, four soldiers wounded. Security forces apprehended nineteen Syria-bound foreign nationals in Hatay and Gaziantep early month. Istanbul court 29 April acquitted 26, including five leaders of Taksim Solidarity, umbrella group of civil society, union and political groups, charged with involvement in protest against AKP. AKP spokesman 21 March said govt will go ahead with monitoring committee.
Govt 27 March passed security law increasing police powers to fire on protesters, search and detain suspects. Turkish soldiers 17 March opened fire on vehicle travelling in forbidden zone in Kilis province on border with Syria, killing driver. AKP-backed domestic security bill triggered fist fights in parliament 17, 19 Feb; thousands protested 21 Feb against draft law that would significantly increase police powers to detain, search suspects.
Explosion 13 Feb at police checkpoint in SE Sanliurfa province on Syria border injured at least three. Govt 19 Feb signed agreement with U. Govt 25 Feb detained dozens in illegal wiretapping raid. Volatile security situation in south east continues. Security forces clashed with pro-PKK groups in Sirnak province bringing death toll to seven since late Dec.
One civilian died 26 Jan in clash between soldiers and villagers in SE Hakkari province. Parliamentary votes on 5, 20 Jan decided against sending four former ministers from ruling AKP to Supreme Court on corruption charges. Turkey 14 Dec arrested around 30 journalists linked with U.
Month saw some positive momentum from both sides in Turkey-PKK peace process, welcome shift from Oct upsurge in violence and clashes between army and Kurdish PKK fighters. Ruling Justice and Development Party AKP 13 Nov said roadmap was being discussed and new mechanisms could be established for process; gave no details.
Month saw govt-PKK peace process threatened by most violent street protests in decades, worst army-PKK clashes since March ceasefire: tensions followed advances by Islamic State IS; formerly ISIL militants toward Syrian Kurdish border town of Kobani see Syria ; Turkish troops prohibited PKK fighters from crossing border to aid fellow Kurds, fuelling violent clashes between protesters, police and Islamic groups in south-eastern Kurdish majority areas and major cities; at least 35 killed, military intervened to quell violence.
Turkey 29 Oct allowed ten Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighters to cross Turkish border into Syria; further contingent of peshmerga troops to reinforce Kurds in Kobani; Syrian regime denounced move as violation of sovereignty. President Erdogan 31 Oct said Kurdish peace talks to continue despite unrest.
Turkey 16 Oct failed to win nonpermanent UNSC seat, seen by observers as sign of growing international isolation. Turkey still not part of U. IS 20 Sept released 49 Turkish diplomatic staff abducted from Mosul consulate in June, including 3 Iraqi nationals, possibly in prisoner exchange with Syrian pro-Turkish group Liwa al-Tawhid. PKK militants early Sept set fire to over 17 schools in protest at govt closing down illegal all-Kurdish schools in south. Scores of police investigators detained 1 Sept over alleged attempt to overthrow govt through corruption charges against Erdogan.
Despite progress, 1 Turkish lieutenant killed 19 Aug in army-PKK clash near Van; 1 civilian killed during protests near Diyarbakir same day. Govt reportedly toughened border control to prevent European jihadi infiltrations into Syria. Syrian refugees 11 Aug killed Turkish landlord in Gaziantep, prompting unrest and attacks on Syrian businesses and refugees, including in Istanbul. Israel 18 July reduced diplomatic delegation in Turkey amid growing protests. Govt media ban on June kidnapping of 49 Turkish diplomatic staff and family in Mosul by IS contin- ued.
Plans, Performance, Budget. Ankara 7 March submitted position paper to European Commission detailing seven steps to fulfil remaining criteria for lifting Schengen visa requirements for Turkish citizens, including minor change to anti-terror law. Global Health. On May 30, a refugee transgender woman was attacked by a group of men in Yalova. As alternative to U.
Syrian Kurdish boy shot 3 June by Turkish soldiers. Govt 30 June opposed independent Kurdish state, called for Iraq unity. Over killed, hundreds wounded, in coal mine explosion in town of Soma, Aegean Manisa province 13 May; police used water cannon, tear gas in subsequent protests in several major cities, including Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. Police fired live bullets during clashes in Istanbul May, 1 civilian shot, 1 died in grenade blast, at least 9 injured including 7 police.
Woman, in coma since inhaling tear gas during Dec protests, died 30 May. No visible progress toward govt- PKK settlement, ceasefire continued to hold despite several breaches. Amid fighting between Syrian regime and rebels in border area, Turkey 23 March shot down Syrian warplane outside Hatay province, saying it crossed into Turkish airspace. EU officials sent messages critical of legal changes. Month saw deterioration in peace process between govt and Kurdish insurgency PKK.
Govt reacted by reshuffling thousands of prosecutors and policemen allegedly behind corruption investigation. Govt 7 Jan sent draft legislation to parliament aiming to enhance executive authority over judges, prosecutors, prompting criticism from U. Anti-govt protests formed in major cities: thousands 11 Jan protested in Ankara. Investigation widely seen as instigated by U. Peace process between govt and Kurdish insurgency PKK remains fragile, with occasional flare-ups of violence continuing in SE, but ceasefire officially continues.
Military court 6 Jan dropped investigation into deaths of 34 Kurdish civilians in military air strike in Protests erupted 15 Jan over building of new military outpost in Sirnak in SE, several protesters injured. In perceived proxy battle within AKP, more than 50 people detained 17 Dec for alleged involvement in corruption ring, including sons of 3 cabinet ministers, 1 municipal leader, prominent busi- nessmen, more than 24 formally arrested; 4 ministers implicated replaced in 25 Dec minister cabinet reshuffle.
Separate probe delayed after govt reassigned hundreds of police, prosecutor says unable to order detentions for questioning. PKK 8 Dec kidnapped 4 soldiers in retaliation, released 9 Dec. Continued tensions along Syrian border: 1 Syrian child killed 3 Dec by Turkish soldiers firing warning shots to stop group illegally crossing back to Syria.

Turkey and EU 16 Dec signed readmission agreement obliging Turkey to take back illegal immigrants who enter EU via Turkey, in exchange for start of visa exemption talks. Continued reports of smuggling along Syrian border: Turkish border control 2 Nov intercepted convoy carrying 1,kg of chemicals; 7 Nov seized cargo truck loaded with 1, weapons. Govt figures show over , Syrian refugees in Turkey, over , of these in camps, rest in cities.
Interior ministry 27 Nov reported around Turkish citizens fighting in Syria alongside al-Qaeda linked rebels. Ending 3-year hiatus in accession negotiations, EU, Turkey 5 Nov opened chapter 22 on regional policy. Parliament 3 Oct voted to extend mandate authorising deployment of troops to Syria citing threat of chemical weapons. Peace talks between govt and Kurdish PKK insurgency continue but hang in balance as both sides have blamed each other for stalling. Amid continued tensions along Syrian border, govt expressed dissatisfaction with U.
Frequent clashes continue between military and Syrian smugglers: live ammunition smuggled into Turkey exploded 3 Sept, killed 5 Syrians, 1 Turk.
Govt peace process with Kurdish insurgency PKK looks precarious as both sides engage in aggressive rhetoric. Exchange of fire between gendarmerie and 2,, alleged oil smugglers at Syrian border wounded 18 soldiers 6 Aug near Hatay. Turkey and Egypt recalled respective ambassadors, cancelled joint naval drill. Turkish soldiers 4 July fired on crowd protesting construction of gendarmerie outpost, killing one; clashes between demonstrators and security forces in other SE provinces continued in following days.
Anti-govt protests that began late May mostly calmed, despite underlying frustrations remaining unaddressed. Number of protest-related casualties rose to 5 as year-old demonstrator, beaten by unknown assailants 2 June, died 10 July. Violent clashes between police and thousands of protestors against govt construction in central Istanbul late month left several injured.
Amid gradual thaw in relations with Tel Aviv, Israeli delegation visited to discuss compensation for relatives of 9 Turks killed on Mavi Marmara in Govt disaster agency reported number of Syrian refugees in Turkish camps surpassed ,, officials estimate around , more in Turkish cities. PKK 13 March released 8 kidnapped public officials.
France 12 Feb announced readiness to lift its veto on one of 5 EU negotiation chapters it has blocked since German Chancellor Merkel 23 Feb announced support for opening new chapter, called on Turkey to show progress in opening ports to Greek Cypriot vessels. Govt 25 Jan passed law allowing defendants to speak Kurdish in court at will.
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Crisis Group informally counted at least 22 people, mostly PKK, killed in clashes between govt and militants during month. French police arrested another PKK member as suspect in killings 21 Jan. Turkish police continued detentions of non-violent Kurdish activists in 1, 9, 11 Jan operations. Over , Syrian refugees now in 13 Turkish camps; estimated 60,, outside camps.
Stray Syrian shells continue to fall on Turkish border towns, no casualties in Dec; Turkish military more restrained in retaliating to incidents. Turkey continued to retaliate against stray Syrian shells with cross-border shelling. Turkey sent fighter jets to border; thousands of Syrians fled into Turkey. Turkey 26 Nov confirmed it had engaged in talks with Israel through diplomatic channels to revive bilateral ties prior to Israel-Hamas war. PKK attacks on civilian targets in south east intensified; arson strikes on more than 20 schools, several incidents of kidnappings of teachers and students.
Turkish-Syrian relations further deteriorated as Syrian shelling across border escalated to highest level yet. Mortar shell fired by Syrian govt forces killed 5 civilians in border town Akcakale 3 Oct; Turkey responded with at least 12 hours of artillery fire. Exchange of fire continued sporadically throughout Oct as additional shells landed in Turkey. Tensions increased as Turkey 10 Oct forced Syrian passenger plane en route from Moscow to Damascus to land in Ankara, on suspicion it was transporting weapons equipment for Syrian govt, claimed it found illegal military equipment.
Syria 13 Oct closed airspace to Turkish planes, reciprocated by Ankara 14 Oct. Refugee situation worsened as govt mid-month reported over , Syrians in 13 camps along border; around 14, reportedly waiting on Syrian side of border. Military 27 Oct denied presence of U. Security situation further deteriorated in southeast as PKK attacks continued to escalate, causing heavy military casualties.
Schools in border areas closed late month due to shelling on Syrian side of border. Govt 24 Aug said defecting Syrian soldiers, refugees in country, reached 78, Foreign Ministry 7 Aug condemned comments by Iranian army chief warning Turkey against cooperation with U. Wreckage of fighter jet shot down by Syrian forces found 4 July along with bodies of 2 pilots.
Parliamentary commission 1 May began drafting new civilian constitution. Syrian regime forces 9 April fired across border at refugee camp, prompting Turkish outrage see Syria. Turkish police early March confiscated large amounts of explosives in several cities, reportedly planned for use by PKK during Nowruz. PM Erdogan 15 March said Turkey considering creating humanitarian buffer zone inside Syria; 17, Syrian refugees currently in Turkey, with inflow continuing; Arab League 29 March excluded Turkey, observer member since , from Baghdad summit seemingly in disapproval of Turkish action on Syria.
Govt 17 Feb passed emergency legislation allowing PM Erdogan to prevent prosecutors summoning intelligence officials or other public officials from testifying in court after 5 senior intelligence officers, including spy chief Hakan Fidan, called to testify in Kurdish insurgency probe 7 Feb; politicians pledged appeal at Constitutional Court. Man sentenced 17 Jan to life in prison for murder of Armenian newspaper editor Hrant Dink; outcry after court dismissed allegations that an organisation was behind it, possibly linked to state entities, led to 19 Jan demonstration of 30, in Istanbul.
Relations with France deteriorated after French Senate 23 Jan adopted bill criminalising denial of Armenian genocide; French politicians 31 Jan moved to rule law unconstitutional. Waves of arrests under anti-terror laws for alleged links to PKK including pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party BDP members, journalists, lawyers, activists and academics; 80 arrested Dec; and 38 people, mainly pro-Kurdish journalists including AFP photographer, detained 20 Dec in 7 different cities.
Violence in SE continued. Scores of PKK militants killed by security forces including around 50 militants killed Dec in Hakkari, Sirnak, Diyarbakir provinces. Turkish military air strike killed 35 Turkish Kurd smugglers on Iraqi border 28 Dec, mistaking them for PKK, triggering nationwide outrage. EU Council report 9 Dec called on Turkey to improve freedom of expression, especially on freedom of media.
French national assembly 22 Dec passed bill which, if passed by Senate, will criminalize denial of genocide including mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks; Ankara withdrew ambassador, cancelled economic, political and military cooperation. Kurdish militant killed by commandos 11 Nov after hijacking ferry with 18 passengers on Sea of Marmara.
Govt 15 Nov cancelled oil exploration plans with Syria in Mediterranean; threatened then pulled back from cutting off electricity supplies. Second earthquake 9 Nov struck southeastern city of Van , killed around 40, after more than killed in 23 Oct earthquake. Military responded 20 Oct by launching ground offensive, airstrikes into N Iraq; military said at least 49 PKK killed.
Suicide bomber 29 Oct killed 2, wounded 20 in predominantly Kurdish eastern Bingol town. Constitution committee involving all parties in parliament began meeting 19 Oct to discuss new constitution. EC 12 Oct presented annual progress report on Turkey, criticised regression in freedom of expression.