Thousands flee southeast Turkey over heavy clashes

Thousands of Kurdish residents of a district in Turkey’s embattled southeastern city of Diyarbakir have fled the area amid intense clashes between government forces and militants.

More than 2,000 people left the ancient Sur district as local authorities beefed up security measures and extended a round-the-clock curfew zone to five more neighborhoods.

The curfew bars residents from leaving their homes. It also prevents journalists and observers from entering the areas, where clashes are underway between Turkish army forces and the  outlawed PKK terrorists.

Sur has suffered extensive damage in the fighting and much of it has been under a 24-hour curfew since December 2, 2015.