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Provocations in Turkey as Kurdish peace process gets serious

Turkey’s peace process with the Kurds faces a major test amid explosive incidents apparently aimed at shaking the determination of both the government and the Kurdish side.
A picture taken on August 19, 2014 shows people making the victory sign as they attend the funeral ceremony of Mehdi Taskin, 24, who died during clashes that erupted between protesters and security forces during an operation to remove a statue of Mahsum Korkmazare, one of the founders of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). One person was killed and two were wounded in the clashes that erupted when a group of protesters gathered at the cemetery to prevent security forces from removing the statue. Meh
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What course will the Kurdish peace process take after President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan moves to Cankaya Palace? This is Turkey's most critical question these days. Both the government and the Kurdish side have made encouraging statements to dispel the uncertainty, but the process, swayed by constant ups and downs, is certainly not immune to incidents that may cause its derailment. 

Take for instance the killing of three Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants — despite the cease-fire — in two separate incidents in Van province. According to media reports, the first incident on Aug. 7 was the result of soldiers “firing at PKK members who defied warnings to stop.” Yet, Kurdish sources told Al-Monitor that it involved a sniper assassinating a regional PKK commander.

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