TSK seizes over 40 mines in Turkey’s southeast

HAKKARİ

AFP Photo

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has announced that over 40 anti-personnel mines have been seized in a security operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

A total of 41 mines were seized in an operation in the Ortaklar region of the Şemdinli district in southeastern Hakkari province on Sept. 22. 

The mines belonging to the PKK militants were found hidden under some bushes upon notices from local residents. The mines were determined to be Italian-made, according to Anadolu Agency.
Operations in the area were ongoing with the support of village guards.

Also in Hakkari, a total of 307 PKK militants were killed in the operations against the outlawed group ongoing since Aug. 4, according to the TSK statement. Moreover, six militants were killed in the Yüksekova district of Hakkari in an air strike conducted with an armed drone. In addition, weapon launching pits belonging to the PKK were also destroyed early on Sept. 22. 

Elsewhere, two PKK militants were killed in a security operation in the İpekyolu district of the eastern province of Van late on Sept. 21. The killed militants were involved in the attack on the police headquarters in the province on Sept. 12, in which four soldiers were killed. 

The militants were killed after clashes that lasted for three hours. 

Meanwhile, a village guard was killed in clashes between security forces and PKK militants in the Eruh district of eastern Siirt province. Two other village guards were also wounded. The wounded were taken to Siirt State Hospital. 

Separately, PKK militants launched an attack with rocket launchers on the police headquarters in the Kağızman district of eastern Kars province late on Sept. 21. 

Six militants staged the attack, in which no casualties were reported.