What's behind Turkey's renewed crackdown on Kurds?

Rights groups are warning of rising casualties in Turkey's campaign against fighters.


Just a few months ago, Turkish Kurds had hope for a political solution to their ongoing disagreements with the government.

They had won seats in parliament and later this week, the pro-Kurdish party the HDP was to meet with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. That meeting was then cancelled.

The ongoing operations against Kurdish fighters leaves no sign of a likely return to what many have described as a peace process. The political engagement has turned into a military one.

Why the about-face? And will the Turkish government and the Kurds ever find a way to interact without violence?