Turkey to invest $3.4 billion in rebuilding southeast

Turkey's southeast has been hit by waves of violence following the collapse of a 2-1/2-year ceasefire between the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the state last year.

The government has previously estimated some 6,000 buildings have been destroyed in security operations, and put the cost of replacing them at 1 billion lira ($345 million).

"We are investing 10 billion lira," Yildirim said in a speech in Diyarbakir, the region's largest city. "Instead of houses destroyed by the PKK we are building beautiful houses."

He said the government would invest in seven provincial centers across the southeast, and build houses, mosques and hospitals. The government will also focus on rebuilding Diyarbakir's historic Sur district, he said.

Sur's Roman-era walls are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, the district sustained heavy damage in fighting this year, leading to concern it may be beyond repair.

(reuters.com)