About 2,000 people were killed and entire neighbourhoods razed in southeastern Turkey in 18 months of government security operations characterised by massive destruction and serious human rights violations, the United Nations said on Friday. UN investigators documented human rights violations including killings, disappearances and torture, often during curfews lasting several days at a time. UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein said in a statement that Turkey, which denied access for the investigators, had "contested the veracity" of the allegations. "Definitely if the PKK have committed crimes and violations they need to be analysed and exposed," Colville said. Although Zeid has been invited to Turkey, Colville said a UN investigative team needed to go first and it would be "absurd" to think Zeid's visit could be a substitute.

Source: The Star March 10, 2017 12:11 UTC