Three officers, civilian killed in Turkey's southeast

DİYARBAKIR – Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

Three members of the security forces have been killed during clashes with members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Sur district of Turkey’s southeastern province of Diyarbakır, which has been under a military curfew for the past month.

Militants detonated an explosive placed on a street as security forces were conducting an operation in the district, heavily wounding one soldier, who succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

The body of the soldier, identified as special gendarmerie sergeant Kemal Karabacaklı by the state-run Anadolu Agency, was sent to his hometown Aydın for a funeral.

“One of our brave fellow soldiers was heavily wounded during the operation in the Sur district of Diyarbakır province on Jan. 3 at 10:25 p.m. He succumbed to his injuries in hospital despite all efforts,” said a statement issued by the Turkish Chief of General Staff. Another soldier, whones name was not disclosed while the Daily News went into print, died from his wounds in a hospital after he was injured in clashes in Sur on Jan. 4.

Meanwhile, a police officer was killed during an operation in Sur early on Jan. 4 after being shot by a PKK sniper. 

The special operations police officer, identified as Musa Yüce, was taken to a military hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. 

Meanwhile, one civilian was killed and two others were wounded on Jan. 3 during clashes between the security forces and the PKK in the restive southeastern town of Silopi. Yusuf Yağıcı was killed after he and his family were caught in the cross-fire in the Barbaros neighborhood of Silopi, located in the southeastern province of Şırnak. His wife Şahye Yağıcı and another woman, identified as Zübeyde Esen, were also injured at the same time. Esen was wounded in her head and is reported to be in a life-threatening condition in Şırnak State Hospital.  

The three were among several locals attempting to flee their homes.