Three tons of explosives found in a vehicle in southeast Turkey

Police stopped a suspicious vehicle by shooting its tires after it disobeyed a traffic stop. As the vehicle was stopped, the driver along with others in the vehicle fled the scene. Searching the vehicle, police found three tons of barrel bombs tied to each other with cables identified as belonging to the PKK. While the vehicle was taken to safe place to be detonated, police launched an operation to find the fleeing suspects. 

Meanwhile, details of an April 11 attack in Mardin’s Hani district which killed two soldiers and wounded 46 others continued to emerge, as the police detained five suspects over links to the attack.    

According to reports, the attack occurred when a tank carrying five tons of fuel and loaded with two tons of explosives was remotely detonated in front of the Hani gendarmerie station and lodges by PKK militants after it was noticed by soldiers. 

Specialized Sgt. Burak Cantürk was killed during the attack and Specialized Sgt. Halil Uysal later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. 

A significant portion of the military post collapsed due to the attack, while other buildings nearby were also damaged, as the search and rescue efforts in the buildings continued.

The Hani Criminal Court of Peace ordered a broadcast ban until the completion of the investigation following the attack.