The Turkish Armed Forces have reportedly lost 114 soldiers to fighting since last June, a sizeable increase from the total of 5 soldiers lost in 2003. Of the 114 soldiers lost in in the last year, 54 of the deaths are attributed to mines laid by the PKK. In the last month alone, 20 soldiers have been killed in clashes with the PKK.

Yesterday in Ankara, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated in the funeral of Private Ender Alper, killed by a mine in Hakkari, along the border between Turkey and Syria. Relatives of the young soldier beseeched the PM at the funeral for a stop to the violence, saying "Will our young continue to die?"