10 PKK militants, five Turkish soldiers killed in clashes

HAKKARİ

A total of five Turkish soldiers were killed on Nov. 16 in clashes with Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in northern Iraq and the eastern province of Hakkari. Ten PKK militants were killed in operations in the last two days.

Two Turkish soldiers were killed and one was injured in a clash with the PKK in northern Iraq’s Avasin-Basyan region, the Turkish military said.

Three PKK militants who were preparing to attack were killed in airstrikes in northern Iraq.

A day before, one Turkish soldier was killed and two others were injured in the region of Gara in northern Iraq. The injured soldiers were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Another clash occurred on Nov. 16 in Turkey’s eastern province of Hakkari.

Two Turkish soldiers were killed and one soldier was injured in Hakkari’s Şemdinli district.

PKK militants attacked Turkish soldiers with rocket launchers as they were conducting a land search in the Derecik area in Şemdinli.

Meanwhile, three PKK militants were killed by Turkish airstrikes in the eastern province of Ağrı, the General Staff announced early on Nov. 16.

The General Staff said the operation took place on Nov. 15, after the military was tipped off about militants plotting in rural areas of Ağrı.

The airstrikes also destroyed a shelter, the General Staff added.

In another operation, Turkish security forces killed four PKK militants in the Ovacık district of the eastern province of Tunceli on Nov. 16.

Senior members of the PKK were also among the militants that were killed.