Turkey bombs PKK bases on the eve of assassinated politicians’ funerals / Osman Baydemir

17 Jan 2013 – Kurdistan Tribune – The Turkish air force has mounted heavy attacks on PKK bases in the Qandil mountains.  According to AFP, 16 F-16 fighter jets have bombed 50 locations and they were targeting the PKK leadership.

The Firat news agency claims that seven PKK fighters have been killed. This attack is on the eve of the mass funeral ceremony due to be held tomorrow in Dyarbakir, north Kurdistan, for the three women activists who were shot dead in Paris last week. Following the ceremony the women will be buried in their home towns on Friday.

Thousands of Kurds gathered peacefully outside Diyarbakir airport today chanting slogans such as “Martyrs are immortal!”, “Kurdistan will be a grave for fascism!” and “Long live leader Apo!” as vans carrying the coffins draped in green cloth drove slowly through the crowd. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that state security forces will be on alert during the ceremonies in case of “any kind of provocation”.

However, Diyarbakir mayor Osman Baydemir dismissed this, telling reporters: “The people of Diyarbakir know very well how to mourn and how to claim their dead”.