Suspected PKK militants attack Turkey pro-govt dailies

Suspected militants from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) attacked the offices of two strongly pro-government Turkish newspapers, throwing Molotov cocktails and opening fire on their editorial headquarters, reports said Thursday.

A group of five masked assailants hurled Molotov cocktails at the entrance of the offices of Yeni Safak daily in the Bayrampasa district of Istanbul before opening fire on the building with long-range rifles late Wednesday, the state-run Anatolia news agency and the newspaper said.

An hour later, another group, also armed with Molotov cocktails and rifles, attacked the offices of Yeni Akit in Istanbul’s Kucukcekmece district, damaging several cars outside the building, Anatolia added.

Fire erupted outside both buildings, but no casualties were reported. Police were searching for the assailants.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus blamed the PKK, which has waged an armed insurgency in Turkey.

“I condemn with hatred the ugly attack on Yeni Safak and Yeni Akit newspapers by members of the terrorist organisation,” he said in an apparent reference to the PKK.

The dailies are strong supporters of the government’s military operations against the rebels of the PKK in southeast Turkey which activists claim has cost dozens of civilian lives.

A new upsurge of violence between the security forces and Kurdish rebels erupted in July, shattering a fragile two-and-a-half year truce.