‘Security zones’ declared

ANKARA

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) announced yesterday that it has declared 15 “temporary security zones” in mountainous areas in the eastern and the southeastern Anatolian regions, while using the Kurdish names of some of these regions.

In a statement posted on its official website, the TSK said the zones would be effective between Oct. 7, 2012 and Jan. 7, 2013 and that civilian entrance to the areas would not be permitted during this period. Other than the names of the mountainous areas, the TSK didn’t present any further information.
In the past, the TSK usually preferred only to provide the geographic coordinates of such regions, giving their altitudes and longitudes.

Since the 1990s, Turkey has from time to time declared such temporary security zones in order to prevent infiltration by members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).