3-Bomb attacks, cross-border fire kill 13 in southeast Turkey
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DIYARBAKIR -- Bomb blasts in two cities in southeast Turkey killed nine civilians and wounded dozens on Wednesday, security sources said, and blamed the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for the coordinated attacks targeting police.
A PKK commander had warned at the weekend of fresh attacks, saying police "will not be able to live as comfortably as they did in the past in cities."
Four civilians were killed when roadside explosives were detonated by remote control near a hospital in the town of Kiziltepe in Mardin province, near the Syrian border, in an attack that targeted a bus carrying police, the sources said.
About 30 civilians and 10 police officers were wounded.
In the region's largest city, Diyarbakir, five civilians were killed in a car bomb attack apparently targeting police, the sources said, adding that 12 people were wounded in that attack, including five police officers.
The United States strongly condemned the latest attacks. "We are in close touch with Turkish authorities and reaffirm our commitment to work together with Turkey to confront the scourge of terrorism," White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
