PKK kills 19, army says 104 militants ‘neutralized’

HAKKARİ / VAN

AA photo

More than 100 outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants have been “neutralized” in the southeastern province of Hakkari, while PKK militants have killed a sum of 18 soldiers and one village guard.

Over 100 militants were killed or wounded in the Çukurca district of southeastern Hakkari province, according to a statement released by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). Another statement was released from the Hakkari Governor’s Office regarding the operations.

“This big and praiseworthy destruction operation will continue from the ground and air until final results are obtained,” the statement read, while it added that the operations were continuing “successfully” and the number of militants killed would increase.

“However, due to the geographical conditions and the intensity of the clashes, soldiers are also getting killed. Our command is planning and carrying out every precaution to reach a result with the minimum number of soldier deaths,” the statement also said. 

Meanwhile, the PKK has been transferring their wounded to camps in northern Iraq, daily Hürriyet reported, citing security sources. The militants were reportedly experiencing a shortage of doctors.

Elsewhere, a PKK leader responsible of the outlawed group’s attacks at Tendürek Mountain in the Çaldıran district of the eastern province of Van was killed, Anadolu Agency reported on Sept. 4.

Hakan Yeni codenamed “Mahir” was killed in the ongoing security operations.

An operation was launched with aerial support after it was determined that a group consisting of 40 or 50 militants was in the area. 

Security forces also destroyed a number of PKK positions. 

Meanwhile, Turkish warplanes conducted airstrikes against PKK targets in Hakkari and Van. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said that four targets were hit in Hakkari’s Çukurca and six were destroyed in rural Tendürek. 

The TSK launched an operation in Çukurca between 8:42 a.m. and 9:07 p.m. on Sept. 3 upon intelligence. 
Another operation was launched in Tendürek between 12:08 a.m. and 12:27 a.m.

A total of 18 soldiers and a village guard were killed in three separate clashes and an attack by the PKK in the country’s east and southeast on Sept. 3 and late on Sept. 2.

Eight soldiers were killed and eight others wounded during an operation against PKK militants in the eastern province of Van, the Van Governor’s Office confirmed on Sept. 3. The statement added that the wounded soldiers were taken to nearby hospitals and their lives were not in danger.

Five soldiers were killed and six others were wounded in the Şemdinli district of Hakkari during a clash between PKK militants and soldiers who were on security duty at a checkpoint. Three soldiers were killed during an operation against the PKK in the Çukurca district of Hakkari earlier on Sept. 3. 

Another 20 soldiers were wounded, three seriously, in the incident close to the border with northern Iraq, the agency said.

Late on Sept. 2, two soldiers and a village guard were killed in an attack on a checkpoint in the Dargeçit district of southeastern Mardin province. Three security guards were also wounded.