15 female Kurdish rebel fighters die in clashes with Turkish forcesMarch 24, 2012 - 22:19 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish forces killed 15 female Kurdish rebel fighters in clashes in southeast Turkey, officials said Saturday, March 24, in what is believed to be the largest one-day casualty toll for women since their guerrilla group began fighting for autonomy nearly 28 years ago. As AP reports citing private Dogan news agency, the clashes occurred in a mainly Kurdish province of Bitlis, and in addition to the women it killed a government-paid village guard helping Turkish forces and wounded three others, the government said. The agency said the clashes occurred all day Friday. The PKK is believed to have several female units. Female PKK militants carried out suicide bombings in 1990s, killing dozens of troops and civilians. Many female fighters have been killed alongside male comrades in clashes, but Saturday's toll was the highest number of female PKK casualties killed in clashes at any one time. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |