District governor wounded in PKK attack in Mardin dies

GAZİANTEP

A district governor who was wounded in an outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) attack in the Derik district of the southeastern province of Mardin died in hospital early on Nov. 11, Gaziantep Gov. Ali Yerlikaya has announced.
Derik District Gov. Muhammed Fatih Safitürk, who was appointed to the post in September, and four others were wounded on Nov. 10 when PKK militants attacked the District Governor’s Office with hand-made explosives.

After receiving initial treatment in the Kızıltepe State Hospital, Safitürk was transferred to Gaziantep by ambulance helicopter, where he succumbed to his injuries at 7:46 a.m. in intensive care unit.

Safitürk’s bodyguard Mustafa Dinç, personnel secretary Mehmet Şerif Mesutoğlu, finance officer Beşir Ulusoy and personnel Fikret Bağı were also wounded in the attack.

Yerlikaya extended his condolences to Safitürk’s family in hospital.

Safitürk’s body will be laid to rest in his hometown of Sakarya after autopsy proceedings in Gaziantep.

Meanwhile, 38 suspects were detained in an operation following the attack with 13 later released, while the other 25 were transferred to Mardin police headquarters.