Fallen police officers receive final respect

ŞIRNAK - Doğan News Agency

An official cxeremony was held yesterday for the police officers killed in clashes. DHA photo

An official ceremony was held yesterday for six soldiers killed during ongoing operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Cudi Mountains of the southeastern province of Şırnak.

The bodies of police captain Kadir Can, police officers Cihat Akkaya, Recep Topaloğlu, Arif Mamış, Selim Arslan and Mustafa Erdoğan were sent to southeastern province of Diyarbakır following the ceremony ahead of burial.

The clashes also killed seven PKK members, while 10 more members of the security forces were also reportedly injured in the battle.

Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin, who visited injured police officers in Şırnak Military Hospital following the ceremony, and Şırnak Gov. Vahdettin Özkan also attended the ceremony. Three of the injured officers have been sent to Ankara for treatment.

Backed by helicopters and fighter jets, thousands of security forces, including police and the army, were participating in the largest anti-PKK operation so far this year, security officials said.

Special police forces have lately played a much bigger role in the fight against the PKK, a task mostly handled by soldiers in the past.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.