Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Friday to protect Turkey's unity following riots in a southeastern province, which left at least seven people dead.

Erdogan made the vow when delivering an opening speech in the capital Ankara at a meeting attended by provincial directors of his ruling Justice and Development Party.

He said that the purpose of the terrorists was to destroy Turkey's unitary system of government and the unity of the Republic of Turkey.

"We know why some individuals throw stones at security forces and their vehicles. We know exactly why certain groups want to target security forces and we will act accordingly when the right time comes," said Erdogan.

"It would be too late to cry after their children get involved in terrorist activities. Our security officials will act as necessary against terrorists, whether they are children or women," Erdogan vowed.

The prime minister affirmed that everything was under control in Turkey, referring to the ongoing demonstrations in southeastern province Diyarbakir.

The pro-Kurdish demonstrations began on March 28 after funerals of four of 14 members with the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party ( PKK), who were killed in an earlier military operation launched by Turkish security forces.

Seven people including a three-year boy have been killed and at least 250 others were injured in the three-day riot.

Turkish security forces also arrested at least 268 people involved in the violence, according to the semi-official Anatolia News Agency.

The PKK launched an armed campaign against Ankara in 1984, fighting for the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey.

Fighting has subdued significantly since the PKK commander Abdullah Ocalan was captured in 1999. But the PKK called off a unilateral ceasefire in 2004, disrupting the fragile peace.

More than 30,000 people, mostly Kurds, have been killed in the violence in the mainly Kurdish southeast since then.

Ankara refuses to negotiate with the PKK, deeming it as a terrorist organization.

Source: Xinhua