TURKEY: UNREST SPREADS IN KURDISH POPULATED TOWNS

Istanbul, 31 March (AKI) - Despite calls for calm, violence in Turkey's largets Kurdish populated city, Diyarbakir, continued for a third day and began spreading to nearby towns. The latest victim, a nine-year-old boy who died overnight, brought to six the deathtoll in the clashes which broke out on Tuesday following the funerals of four Kurdish rebels from the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) who were killed by Turkish security forces. Over 250 people have been injured and hundreds of shops and other property has been destroyed.

Hundreds of riot police, backed by armoured vehicles, have taken up positions in Diyrabakir. As part of a low profile policy to avoid instigating further riots by Kurdish youths, Turkish police chiefs have urged their men to refrain from using firearms.

In the worst street battles in southeastern Turkey for nearly two decades, hundreds of people, mainly youngsters, hurled stones and petrol bombs at the police and public buildings also vandalising shops and public offices. All trade and businees in Diyarbakir has come to a standstill, with demonstrators forcing shopowners to keep their stores shut, as an act of disobedience towards the Ankara government.

An attempt to quell tensions by Diyarbakir's mayor, Osman Baydemir, a popular figure from the pro-Kurdish party, DTP, fuelled further controversy when in a message to the rioters, he said: "I congratulate you because of your courage," in Kurdish.

The mayor's remark to the rioters, most of whom are believed to be PKK supporters, has prompted Turkey's interior ministry to launch an inquiry.