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PKK ends unilateral ceasefire in Turkey

Xinhua, November 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

The outlawed Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) declared an end to its unilateral ceasefire in Turkey on Thursday, local media reported.

"The unilateral halt to hostilities has come to an end over the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) war policy and the latest attacks," the group said in a statement cited by Firat news agency, which is affiliated with the PKK.

The group declared a unilateral ceasefire in October, saying that it would avoid armed actions for election safety unless it came under attack.

Since the government launched major military operations against the PKK after a ceasefire fell through in July, tensions have soared in Turkey, with PKK militants retaliating.

The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

The government has vowed to continue operations against the PKK after the snap election early November, in which the AKP won back the authority to form a one-party cabinet.

On Thursday, the military said a total of 31 PKK rebels were killed in a major offensive that started Tuesday in the mountainous town of Yuksekova in the province of Hakkari.

Meanwhile, one Turkish police officer was killed Thursday during an operation against the PKK in the Silvan town of southeastern Diyarbakir province, where a curfew is in force, private Dogan News Agency reported. Endit