PKK militants raid military construction site in southeastern Turkey

ANKARA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Suspected members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) has raided a military post construction site in southeastern Turkey and abducted a contractor, local Hurriyet daily reported Sunday.

PKK militants reportedly demanded about 760,000 U.S. dollars as ransom for Mehmet Elbey, the contractor, who was kidnapped on Saturday, according to the report.

Turkish security forces have been sent to the region, with an operation already launched into the incident, said the report, adding that no clues about the PKK militants have yet been found.

Since last October, Ankara has been holding peace negotiations with PKK's jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan, who finally made an announcement of ceasefire and withdrawal in March. Earlier in May, the PKK fighters once stationed in Turkey started to head to their stronghold in Iraq.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and part of the international community, took up arms in 1984 in an attempt to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. Since then, some 40,000 people have been killed in conflicts involving the group.

We Recommend:
U.S. presidents and their pets	Highlights of 50th Int'l Paris Air Show	Best photos of week (June 17 - June 23)
Venezuelan Army School boat visits Cuba	Afghan refugees at UNHCR registration center	Beauty contest held in Budapest, Hungary
Angelina Jolie visits refugee camp	'Super moon' hangs in the sky over Rotterdam	LA' Chinatown sets up statue of Bruce Lee