Four soldiers killed in two separate PKK attacks

ORDU

AA photo

Four soldiers were killed and eight others were wounded on July 31 in two separate attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Black Sea province of Ordu and the southeastern province of Hakkari.

PKK militants opened fire on soldiers from a forested area in Ordu as troops were conducting operational searches near the Topçam Gendarmerie Station in the Mesudiye district after receiving a warning.

According to initial reports, three soldiers were killed and two others were wounded in the attack.

Ordu Governor İrfan Balkanoğlu said close contact with the militants was ongoing, as a number of reinforcements were also deployed to the area as part of the operation.

Balkanoğlu said the provincial gendarmerie commander was also deployed to the scene.

The governor urged locals to feel comfortable after the attack, vowing that security forces would not permit PKK militants to remain in the region.

In addition, police officers in Ordu and its districts were also instructed to wear bulletproof vests as a precaution.

Meanwhile, one soldier was killed and six others were wounded in a separate PKK attack in the Şemdinli district of Hakkari, the General Staff announced.

Security forces engaged in an armed clash with PKK militants in the Şapatan region during an operation. One soldier was killed and six others were wounded in the attack.

Reinforcements were deployed to the region while Cobra helicopters also opened fire.