Five policemen killed in PKK attacks in southeastern Turkey

MARDİN / HAKKARİ – Doğan News Agency

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Three police officers were killed and one severely injured in an attack by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey’s southeastern province of Mardin.

PKK militants detonated a previously installed improvised explosive device (IED) during the patrol of an armored vehicle in Mardin’s Nusaybin district.

The attack was staged around 11:40 p.m. on Sept. 15 and resulted in the deaths of three policemen, including a captain, and serious wounds for a fourth officer. 

The highly explosive bomb inflicted damage on houses surrounding the area.

A wide-scale operation was launched after the attack to apprehend the PKK militants. Access to and from the district is currently suspended.

The wounded officer was brought to the Nusaybin State Hospital for treatment. 

Meanwhile, two police officers and a convict were killed while two were wounded in a separate attack by PKK militants in the southeastern province of Hakkari, the Governor’s Office said.

PKK militants remotely detonated a mine placed on the Hakkari – Van motorway during the passing of an armored vehicle holding a convict. Police officers Mehmet Tuğal and Serkan Çölkesen, along with the convict identified as A. K., were killed and two police officers were wounded. An operation has been conducted to apprehend the PKK militants responsible for the attack. 

Officer Çölkesen voluntarily went to Hakkari two months ago.