Bill to downgrade two provinces in SE Turkey scrapped

ANKARA

The Turkish parliament on Friday scrapped part of an omnibus bill that would change the administrative status of two southeastern cities.

The measure would downgrade Hakkari and Sirnak to districts and rename them as and Nuh, respectively.

It would also approve province status for Yuksekova and Cizre districts, located in Hakkari and Sirnak, respectively.

MPs from opposition parties applauded as the decision to cut out the part was announced following a parliamentary consensus among parties.

The omnibus bill contains legislative changes concerning a variety of public institutions in education, and tourism, and also foresees the establishment of a private university tentatively called the City University of Istanbul.

Both Hakkari and Sirnak have been a focal point of ongoing anti-terror operations launched by the Turkish Armed Forces to clear cities of PKK terrorists, fill trenches, remove barricades and destroy explosive traps.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization also by the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

(Reporting by Guler and Alper Atalay; Writing by Fatma Bulbul)