Two soldiers die amid major PKK operation

ŞIRNAK - Doğan News Agency

The Turkish Armed Forces launch a major air and land operation against suspected members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Hakkari. DHA photo

Two Turkish soldiers, specialized sergeant Mehmet Kaya and soldier Adnan Öztürk, were killed in the southeastern province of Şırnak yesterday when their vehicle overturned.

Their vehicle spun out of control for unknown reasons on the road between Silopi and Cizre while conducting a patrol task, according to reports. Military funerals were held for the two soldiers in Şırnak and their bodies were sent to their hometowns for burial following the funeral.

The Turkish Armed Forces launched a major air and land operation against suspected members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) July 28 in the eastern province of Hakkari’s Şemdinli district.

The air and land operations followed the activity of a group of allegedly armed PKK members in the mountainous region. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) began to bomb an area occupied by PKK members until yesterday morning. According to military sources, Goman Mountain was the main target of the operation and the route of the PKK members was taken under military control.

Two kids injured

Meanwhile, two children, both aged 12, were injured yesterday when playing with a hand-made bomb they had found in a bag in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. Witnesses said they saw the kids playing with a plastic bag, which was later found to contain a bomb. The children are being treated in Diyarbakır hospital, reports said.