I am deeply saddened by the deaths of 13 Turkish soldiers in Diyarbakir province. On behalf of the United States I send heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims. We stand with Turkey in its fight against the PKK, a designated terrorist organization which has claimed tens of thousands of Turkish lives. We support Turkey in its fight against terror and we will continue to work with the Government of Turkey to combat terrorism in all its forms. I will be meeting with Turkey's leaders over the next two days in Istanbul where I will personally convey to them our commitment to close cooperation.
