Turkey to pay compensation to families of airstrike victims

Turkish deputy prime minister has said Turkey will pay compensation to families of victims of a botched airstrike that killed 25 smugglers in Southeast Turkey last Wednesday and said apology may follow once the investigation into the incident concludes, Today's Zaman reported.

Bulent Arınc, speaking following a cabinet meeting on Monday, said one of steps Turkish government will take to what he said "alleviate pains" of families of the airstrike victims is to pay compensation in a matter of days. He also added that there will also be other measures taken by the government for the families and immediate relatives of the victims.

Turkish warplanes mistakenly killed 35 smugglers and other villagers in an operation that targeted PKK bases in Iraq last Wednesday night. The government acknowledged that the victims were smugglers, not terrorists.

The military said in an earlier statement that the warplanes targeted the group based on intelligence that suggested that a group of weapon-carrying terrorists was heading towards the Turkish border to stage attacks on the military. The victims were from the villages of Ortasu, Gulyazı and Ortabag in southeastern Sırnak province's Uludere district.

Arınc, who is also the government spokesperson, reiterated government's previous position that there is no ill-intention in the incident but he did not ruled out any negligence which he said will be clear following the investigation.

He reminded that Sırnak Public Prosecutor's Office has launched a probe in coordination with Uludure Prosecutor's Office.

Turkish opposition, particularly, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu, called on the government to "immediately" apologize for Wednesday's killings. Expressing his outrage over the raid, Kılıcdaroglu said last week that "the government should immediately apologize." Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan already said he regrets the mistake and vowed a thorough investigation while Turkish President Abdullah Gul extended his condolences to the families of the airstrike victims.

Arınc ruled out any official apology, claiming that it will be a negative development at this point, referring to the ongoing investigation. He said apology to the families of the killed villagers and even gestures beyond that may be possible once the investigation into the incident concludes.


/Trend/