Three soldiers kidnapped in southeastern Turkey

DİYARBAKIR - Doğan News Agency

Turkish Armed Forces photo.

Three Turkish soldiers have been taken hostage by suspected members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) who blocked the Lice-Bingöl highway in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on Aug. 6.

Diyarbakır Gov. Mustafa Toprak said the PKK formed a checkpoint on the Lice-Bingöl highway near the village of Tuzla at 8:10 p.m.

“PKK members forced three soldiers, who were on their way back to their hometowns, off the bus going from Şanlıurfa to Trabzon and coerced them into going to the mountainous part of the area. Land and air operations have been launched to rescue the soldiers,” Toprak said.

Testimony from the bus driver and passengers has reportedly been taken.

Meanwhile, an 8-year-old girl was killed by an explosive device she discovered in a rural area of Diyarbakır’s Kulp district.

Sera Yavuz, who was playing with the object when it exploded, was taken by family members to Muş State Hospital with serious wounds before succumbing to her injuries.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the explosion.