The Associated Press | 4 April 2009

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkish news agencies say a Kurdish demonstration turned deadly in southeast Turkey as police clashed with thousands of protesters trying to reach the village of an imprisoned Kurdish rebel chief to mark his 60th birthday.

Dogan news agency says police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd of around 3,000.

State-run Anatolia news agency says nine people were injured and two of them died later at a hospital.

Turkish television footage shows hundreds of demonstrators throwing stones at police and soldiers.

Riot police had taken positions on hilltops and on a road to block the demonstrators from reaching Ocalan's village of Omerli. Ocalan is serving a life sentence for leading a separatist war.