A Turkish army helicopter has crashed in the mainly Kurdish province of Siirt in the southeast, leaving the chopper's two pilots injured
08 Kasım 2009 Pazar 02:09
The helicopter, belonging to the 23rd Sirnak Division Command, crashed on Friday near the town of Eruh in Siirt, Hurriyet newspaper said on its website.
The military said an investigation was underway into the cause of the crash in Siirt province, where the army has been fighting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants.
The PKK has been struggling for an independent homeland for more than two decades. The Turkish army maintains a strong presence in the southeast, regularly pounding positions of the outlawed militants in the region and neighboring northern Iraq.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Ankara and much of the international community, including the US, and the European Union.
Over 40,000 people have lost their lives since the militant group took up arms against the central government in 1984 to establish an independent Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey.
The helicopter, belonging to the 23rd Sirnak Division Command, crashed on Friday near the town of Eruh in Siirt, Hurriyet newspaper said on its website. 
