Turkey to compensate Kurdish victims

Turkish deputy prime minister says the government will pay compensation to the families of Kurdish villagers killed in recent airstrikes in southeast of the country. "The reparations will be paid in a couple of days," Bulent Arinc said in televised remarks after a cabinet meeting on Monday. However, he said that the government would not "officially" apologize for the killings. Thirty-five people were killed on December 28 when Turkish warplanes mistakenly targeted Kurdish smugglers, thought to be members of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist group, in the village of Ortasu in the Turkey's southeastern province of Sirnak close to the border with Iraq. Survivors and witnesses of the deadly incident have questioned the military's claim that they had mistaken the civilians for PKK members, saying the attacks were intentional. Turkish government has rejected the allegation. "It is absolutely out of question that the incident was intentional. However, although it was not intentional, examinations are ongoing about any possible negligence," Arinc added. Turkey's military command said it carried out the airstrikes after a spy drone spotted a group moving toward its sensitive southeastern border in darkness last Wednesday night, in an area known to be used by PKK terrorists.