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Eleven hurt in election day blast in Turkey
Percussion bomb explodes in southeastern province, amid celebrations at success of Kurdish candidates in Sunday's vote.
Last Modified: 13 Jun 2011 11:32
Six of the casualties were seriously injured, according to hospital officials


An explosion in southeastern Turkey has injured 11 people as they were celebrating the success of Kurdish candidates in parliamentary elections.

Sunday's blast, in the eastern province of Sirnak, on the Iraqi border, was caused by a percussion bomb, security officials said, according to the Reuters news agency.

Six of the casualties were seriously injured, according to hospital officials. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the blast.
 
Independent candidates representing the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) won 36 seats in the Kurdish-majority southeast.

BDP supporters also clashed with police in Diyarbakir, the main city in the southeast, after police said crowds had pelted the local headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) with stones.

Police responded with tear gas.

Unrest is common in southeastern Turkey where separatist fighters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have waged a decades-old campaign against Turkish rule.
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies
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