Four soldiers injured in PKK attack, clashes continue, says Turkish military

Militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have opened fire on Turkish soldiers in the eastern province of A?r?, injuring four soldiers, Turkish military said in a statement on April 11. 

"Upon intelligence that the separatist terror organization will organize an event named 'Spring Festival' on April 11-12 in Yukar?tütek village near Diyadin district of A?r?, and they will promote the separatist terror organization and pressure our citizens to vote for the candidates the militants in the elections, a security force of 15 teams were sent to the area upon the orders of the A?r? Governor's Office to ensure public order," Turkish General Staff said in a written statement. 

"Separatist terror organization" is a termed used by the Turkish military to define the outlawed PKK. 

"During the positioning in the region, members of the separatist terror organization members opened fire on our elements. The attack was promptly responded, was four of our military personnel were injured in the first fire," the statement added. 

"A reconnaissance plane, armed helicopters and additional commando units have been dispatched to the area and the clashes are ongoing," the military said.

The clashes come two months before a general election on June 7 and amid a delicate ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish military, which has held for over two years.

Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, urged the outlawed group to convene an extraordinary congress to "end the 40-year-long armed struggle" against Turkey in a letter read out during the Nevruz celebrations in the southeastern province of Diyarbak?r on March 21.

In his letter, Öcalan also stressed the need for a "democratic solution" to Turkey's...