Turkey heightens security ahead of PKK anniversary 

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Police in southeastern Turkey have detained at
least 10 people ahead of the 17th anniversary of the start of a bloody conflict between
Kurdish separatists and security forces, officials said on Monday.

Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels launched an armed campaign for self-rule in the
country's mainly Kurdish southeast in August 1984 and thousands of civilians have been
killed in the violence.

Emergency rule was imposed in 1987 and continues even though fighting dropped off
sharply after the capture of rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan two years ago.

"Since as many as 600 PKK (rebels) remain in the emergency-rule zone, we've taken
precautions against possible PKK activities," a security official told Reuters.

Police erected roadblocks and were searching vehicles entering the regional capital
Diyarbakir, witnesses said.

Ocalan, on death row for treason, now awaits a European Court of Human Rights ruling on
his death sentence.

He has called on followers to withdraw from Turkey and instead seek cultural rights, such as
a repeal of the ban on Kurdish-language education, through political means.

The European Union, which Turkey aspires to join, has urged Ankara to grant the country's
12 million Kurds more cultural rights.

The office administering emergency rule in the region said on Monday fighting since 1987
had claimed 4,471 civilian lives, while 5,061 soldiers and police officers had been killed.

The office said 23,487 PKK fighters had died, 622 had been wounded and 5,642 had been
captured or turned themselves in.
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