At least 14 policemen killed in PKK attack in eastern Turkey

IĞDIR

AP photo

At least 14 policemen were killed after a police bus was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) on a road in the eastern province of Iğdır. 

The bus was transporting a group of policemen to the Dilucu border gate, which connects Turkey to Azerbaijan’s Nakhchevan Autonomous Republic, when it was hit near Hasanköy Village.

Security forces conducted an operation in the region following the attack.

One of the 14 police officers who were killed in the attack was identified as Fehmi Şahin, who worked as a special bodyguard of former President Abdullah Gül.

“Fehmi Şahin, who is among our sons who fell martyr, worked in my guard team for many years. I am in deep sorrow at losing Fehmi and his fellow soldiers to terror,” Gül wrote on his Twitter account on Sept. 8 while also stating his condolences for the families of all fallen police officers and soldiers.

Osman Cangal, who works as an adviser to Gül, told Hürriyet on Sept. 8 that he was very sorry at losing his former colleague Şahin. 

In an earlier incident, a police bus en route to the Dilucu border gate came under fire from PKK militants on Aug. 27, leading to a clash with special forces. One policeman was wounded in the clash.