Istanbul - A Turkish policeman and his two brothers were killed in a shooting incident Monday near Hakkari, a city in Turkey's predominantly-Kurdish southeast region. According to media reports, the men were travelling in a civilian car which came under fire from an unidentified source.
On Sunday, the driver of a bus and one of his passengers were killed when the vehicle drove over a landmine while on route to a military base in the area. Authorities said the mine had been planted by members of the banned separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The PKK has been fighting Turkish forces since 1984. An estimated 40,000 lives have been lost in the fighting.
The Turkish government has announced plans for a "democratization initiative" aimed at solving the decades-old conflict. Among the elements expected to be included in the initiative are expanded cultural rights for Turkey's Kurdish minority.
