JINHA

MUŞ - HPG guerrillas have taken control of the roads into and out of the town of Varto, in Muş province of Turkey. Clashes continued yesterday throughout the day.

The district of Varto (Gimgim in Kurdish) is located in Muş province, in Northern Kurdistan (Turkey). On Saturday evening, after attacks on the district police office and military police headquarters, HPG guerrillas (affiliated with the PKK) took control of the town. Police and soldiers were unable to travel outside of main highways and the provincial governor announced a curfew.

Meanwhile, HPG guerrillas called the police station yesterday and told soldiers and police to remain inside.

"Democratic autonomy has been declared in Varto and all streets are in the hands of PKK guerrillas. Going onto the streets is forbidden to you, the police and soldiers. For your own safety, do not go onto the streets. From now on, Varto is under the control of PKK guerrillas," said a HPG representative, speaking over the telephone with police officials. Clashes continued throughout the day yesterday.

"There are gunshots coming from the city center. The governor has announced a curfew. Right now no one can go outside," reported Sabite Ekinci, the co-mayor of Varto. "There are trenches dug in several points in the city. The streets are under HPG control. In our meeting with the police, they told us that there were many PKK members in the city center and that there were trenches dug. There are clashes ongoing in the city center.

"There's a fear of what will happen if there's a possible intervention. Ultimately, there are civilians inside. We don't know what will happen if there are serious clashes," said Sabite. Civilians remained confined to their homes with no electricity and water, and all roads entering and leaving the city were blocked. Police have refused to allow ambulances into the town.

Local sources have been unable to confirm wounded or dead in Varto, but there are reports that rockets have been launched at homes in the central shopping district and snipers have been seen posted on the roofs of state buildings. There have been heavy clashes in the Gimgim and Çemesus areas of the larger Varto district since Saturday evening. In the town center, smoke was visible overhead, with helicopters flying over the town throughout the day.

(fk/ht/gc/at-ng/dk/cm)