Diyarbakir : Turkey on Sunday slapped a curfew on two border towns in the Kurdish-dominated southeast ahead of a looming military "clean-up" operation as it eased a lockdown in Diyarbakir.
Turkish troops have been waging a major -- and controversial -- offensive against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) since December, imposing strict 24-hour curfews in a number of towns and cities in the southeast.
Ankara has repeatedly imposed curfews for military operations in southeastern urban centres, and on Sunday said restrictions would be slapped on two more towns -- Yuksekova, near the Iranian border, and Nusaybin, on the frontier with Syria.
The aim was to "restore order and security" following an increase in "terrorist activity", local authorities said.
Several hours before the curfew was to start, an explosion rocked Yuksekova, injuring four people, Dogan news agency reported. The cause of the blast was not immediately clear.
Ankara has vowed to wipe out the PKK, classed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its Western allies, and has said "clean-up" operations in Yuksekova, Nusaybin and Sirnak, a third Kurdish city, are imminent.
As the new restrictions were announced, Turkey eased the curfew in part of Diyarbakir, the biggest Kurdish majority city, which has been under lockdown since December.
From 8:00 am (0600 GMT) on Sunday, residents of part of the city's historic Sur district were allowed back onto the streets, where some buildings have been badly damaged in the operation, an AFP correspondent said.
Residents forced from the area by the clashes and the curfews returned to inspect their damaged homes, carrying belongings in suitcases and pushcarts.
