DIYARBAKIR, Turkey: Three Turkish soldiers were killed in a clash with Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey near the borders with Syria and Iraq, the local governor’s office said on Thursday.
Three militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were “neutralized” in the fighting, the Sirnak governor’s office said in a written statement.
It said the soldiers were maintaining security for state energy company Turkish Petroleum (TPAO) near the town of Silopi in Sirnak when the clash broke out on Wednesday.
The militants had previously been spotted by a drone in the same area, it said.
The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and European Union, launched an insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
Three Turkish soldiers killed in clash with Kurdish militants
Three Turkish soldiers killed in clash with Kurdish militants
- The Turkish soldiers were guarding state energy company Turkish Petroleum
- The Kurdish militants were spotted by a drone in the same area earlier
Israel’s Netanyahu says it would be a ‘mistake’ to hold elections now
- Failure to pass the budget by March 31 would trigger early elections
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that holding elections now would be a “mistake,” as he faces the possibility of a snap vote should he fail to pass a national budget.
The budget will have its first reading on Wednesday in Israel’s parliament, where Netanyahu’s coalition is only able to exercise a majority thanks to the uncertain cooperation of a former ally.
“Of course I’m concerned... I think we’re in a very sensitive situation,” Netanyahu said at a televised press conference.
Failure to pass the budget by March 31 would trigger early elections.
“I think the last thing we need right now is elections. We’ll have elections later on this year, but I think it’s a mistake to have them now” he said.
Elections are due to be held by November.
The leader of Likud, Israel’s main right-wing party, Netanyahu holds the record for the longest time served as Israel’s premier — more than 18 years in total over several stints since 1996 — and has already said he intends to run again.
In the last elections, Likud won 32 seats in the Knesset, its ultra-Orthodox allies 18, and a far-right alliance 14.
Some of Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox allies formally left his government last year, but for now refuse to bring it down.
However, they are reluctant to vote for the budget until the premier makes good on a promise to pass a law allowing their community to avoid military conscription.
Netanyahu’s current term began with a controversial judicial overhaul plan that sparked months of mass protests, with tens of thousands of Israelis taking to the streets almost daily.
