Turkey Kurds: 30 dead in Cizre violence as MPs' march blocked

At least 30 people have died in clashes in the Turkish city of Cizre since a military operation began there last week, Turkey's interior ministry says.

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionA delegation from the pro-Kurdish HDP set off on foot for Cizre on Wednesday after their route was blocked

The ministry says most of the dead were Kurdish militants but the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) says 20 civilians were killed in the violence.

Locals say Cizre has been "under siege" since the military imposed a curfew.

On Thursday police stopped a delegation of HDP leaders who were trying to reach the south-eastern city on foot.

The group includes the party's leader Selahattin Demirtas and 30 members of parliament, who say they want to draw attention to what is happening in the mainly Kurdish area.

They were intercepted by police near Idil, 28km (17 miles) from Cizre.

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionThe road to Cizre was blocked by Turkish security forces

Turkey-PKK conflict: Why are clashes escalating?

Deadly clashes between Turkish forces and the militant Kurdish organisation, the PKK, have intensified since a ceasefire collapsed in July.

Turkish jets have bombed PKK bases in northern Iraq and the army has boosted security and imposed curfews across the south-east.

Mr Demirtas said the humanitarian situation in Cizre was worsening, with people unable to buy bread or access water.

The body of a 10-year-old boy killed in the violence was being kept in a refrigerator by family members because restrictions on movement meant they could not take him to the mortuary, the BBC was told.

Interior Minister Selami Altinok said the curfew would continue until the military operation was completed.

Image copyright@garopaylan

Image captionMP Garo Paylan tweeted this photo on Thursday morning showing Selahattin Demirtas (centre, on phone) and colleagues

Mr Demirtas warned the country was heading towards civil war.

Turkish prosecutors are currently investigating the HDP leader for insulting the president.

They want to have the MP stripped of his parliamentary immunity.

Turkey is to hold new elections in November after inconclusive polls in June.

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionViolence in Cizre, near the Syrian border, has killed several civilians

Separately, the interim government has deported a Dutch journalist.

Freelancer Frederike Geerdink, who was arrested on Sunday, was accused of links to the PKK.

Earlier in the month, two British journalists with Vice News were deported. Their Iraqi colleague remains in detention.

More than 40,000 people have died since the PKK launched an armed campaign in 1984, calling for an independent Kurdish state within Turkey.

The ceasefire that began in 2013 unravelled in July, after a suicide bombing by suspected Islamic State militants near the border with Syria.

The attack led to mutual recriminations between Kurdish groups and Turkey.