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.
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.
