Kurdish protesters with police in Turkey

About 250 stone-throwing Kurds, protesting the detention of three members of a Kurdish human rights association, clashed with police in eastern Turkey, a Turkish news agency reported Wednesday.

Photo: Kurdish protesters with police in Turkey

At least four policemen were injured and a few police cars were torched during the clash in the eastern city of Tunceli on Tuesday night, Gov. Mustafa Erkal was quoted as saying by the state-owned Anatolia news agency. Police detained 31 demonstrators, the report said.

Officials were not immediately available for comment.

Tensions have been running high in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern Turkey, where autonomy-seeking Kurdish guerrillas have escalated their attacks recently.

The fight for autonomy by the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, has claimed the lives of more than 37,000 people since 1984. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, reports the AP.

I.L.