One soldier killed in Turkey’s southeast clashes

ŞIRNAK – Anadolu Agency

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A “maroon beret” soldier has been killed in clashes during an operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in southeastern Şırnak province, approximately one month after the Turkish Army deployed specially trained forces in the city’s Cizre district. 

The clashes took place in Cizre’s Dağkapı neighborhood on Jan. 23 during an operation against the outlawed organization. The soldier, identified as first lieutenant Uğur Taşçı, was heavily wounded in the attack.

“Our comrade in arms succumbed to his wounds at 4:20 p.m. at the hospital where he was being treated,” Turkish General Staff announced in a statement. 

Meanwhile, seven PKK militants were also killed during clashes, the statement added. 

As a maroon beret commando, Lieutenant Taşçı served as part of specially trained military forces that were deployed in Cizre late December 2015.  

Around 200 maroon berets were deployed in the country’s east and southeast where Turkey has beefed up operations targeting the PKK in response to self-autonomy declarations. 

Meanwhile, an official statement by the Şırnak governorate announced that some 265 militants have been killed in operations in Cizre since Dec. 16. Some 132 militants were captured alive while some 432 barricades were removed and 126 trenches were filled, according to the statement.